Arsenal fans were overjoyed when they secured their first win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in 14 years last November, but Roy Keane was hardly enthused by the Gunners then – let alone currently.
Mikel Arteta’s side have little left to play for in their final four games before the season’s end, with their chances of securing European football for next season all but over after the Gunners were eliminated from the Europa League at the semi-final stage at the hands of Unai Emery’s Villarreal.
Shortly after Arsenal’s win at Old Trafford, they endured a dismal run of form that saw them lose four home games in succession – the first time that has happened to Arsenal in 62 years.
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Manchester United icon Keane covered Arsenal’s 1-0 win over his former side before the turn of the year, and despite the Gunners returning to London with all three points – he was not convinced by what he saw.
In response to fellow pundit Tim Cahill’s praise for the Gunners, Keane quipped: “How many league games have Arsenal lost this season, all of a sudden Arsenal are the new Bayern Munich? Do me a favour!”
His sarcastic comments appear to have aged well, even after a victory having not been impressed by their credentials – which will only have been enhanced and proved right from the dismal run they have been on since. Arsenal currently languish in tenth place and are about to end the season without any silverware.
Manager Arteta faces question marks over his stay in the Arsenal hot-seat, with the Spaniard presiding over one of the worst seasons in recent memory.
The Gunners boss revealed to the media after his side’s defeat to Villarreal what he had learned from a particularly challenging 2020/21 campaign
“Well what I learned this season is that I thought that I was very privileged to be in this football club,” he said. “Now I know that I could not be in any place better than here.
“After everything that we’ve been through together as a club, with all the staff from everybody with every single player, everybody who has put in their lives to be successful here, I could not be any prouder to be close to them.”