Jermaine Jenas was baffled by the ‘really strange’ question (Pictures: Getty)
Jermaine Jenas was left baffled by a ‘really strange’ question about Mikel Arteta and Premier League runners-up Arsenal.
The Gunners fell just short of a first league title since 2004 last season, finishing two points behind Manchester City, who lifted the Premier League trophy for the fourth year in a row.
Arsenal also finished second in 2022-23, having led Man City for much of the season but falling away during a difficult run-in.
Falling short in the recent title race means Arsenal have now gone almost four years without a trophy, having picked up their last piece of silverware in 2020 when they won the FA Cup.
The fact Manchester United and under-fire manager Erik ten Hag have won two trophies in the period Arsenal have won nothing was not lost on talkSPORT host and United fan Andy Goldstein, who joked it was proof Ten Hag was ‘twice as good’ as Arteta.
He then asked ex-England midfielder Jenas: ‘How long can Mikel Arteta go on for at Arsenal and not win trophies?’
But Jenas, who spent most of his career at Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham, was baffled by the ‘really strange’ question and insisted Arteta has been ‘brilliant’.
Mikel Arteta addresses the Arsenal fans on the final day of the season (Picture: Getty)
Instead of worrying about their trophy drought, Jenas believes Arsenal fans should be excited for the future and backed the Gunners to win the Premier League under Arteta.
‘That’s a really strange question,’ Jenas responded. ‘He has been brilliant, he’s been absolutely brilliant.
‘He’s won the FA Cup, remember. The trophy thing is irrelevant. When you look at Mikel Arteta, you underestimate how toxic that environment was for a long period of time.
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‘We were seeing scapegoats week in, week out and Arteta flipped that completely. He soaked up all that pressure himself as a brand new manager to the Premier League, he dealt with all that pressure.
‘He changed their style of player, brought in better players to improve them and they are serious, serious contenders in the Premier League now.
‘If I was an Arsenal fan, I would be hoping he stays at that football club for at least another five years because it’s only getting better and eventually they’re going to win the league.’
Jenas hit back at Andy Goldstein’s question on talkSPORT (Picture: YouTube)
Arteta also vowed to end Arsenal’s wait for a Premier League trophy in a speech to the club’s fans at the Emirates Stadium on the final day of the season.
‘All this is happening because you started believing,’ he said. ‘You started to be patient, you started to understand what we were trying to do and all the credit has to go to these amazing players, and the staff that are unbelievable.
‘I think now it’s time to have a break, think, reflect and please, keep pushing, keep inspiring this team. Don’t be satisfied because we want much more than that, and we’re going to get it. Thank you so much.’
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