Mikel Arteta always raises a smile when talking about his FA Cup memories, and our manager is keen to add to those cherished moments, starting with Manchester United in the third round on Sunday.
The famous trophy was his first for us as a player in 2014 against Hull City and his first as a manager, back in 2020, when we defeated Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley. Despite not going beyond the fourth round since lifting the trophy for a record 14th time five years ago, Mikel revealed his team is fully focused on collecting a record-extending 15th title, starting with the tie against the current holders and 13-time winners.
"It’s a massive part of our history," the boss revealed in his pre-match press conference. "We’ve won it 14 times and it is a competition very attached to us.
"It’s a beautiful game to play against a massive club, and a very special occasion as well with the amount supporters that they're going to bring, so it’s a very big game."
Two goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang helped us come from 1-0 down to win 2-1 back in August 2020, with the contest being played in an empty Wembley Stadium due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although the triumph in his first season as a manager evokes happy memories for our boss, winning the trophy again in front of tens of thousands of Gooners is the ultimate goal. The first step comes against our old rivals though who will bring 8,000 fans to N5, and Mikel wants our supporters to make as much noise as possible to help drown them out.
He said: "I was so happy and proud because it was a really tough period, emotionally as well. To take my first managerial job in the middle of the season, then go home for two-and-a-half months, then start competing again in those circumstances, it was tricky. But I was so happy with the result. I just want to replicate the same but sharing it with other people.
"We have to be noisier, more on the front foot, certainly [more] than them. It’s a special occasion to create that atmosphere, I think it’s a beautiful football atmosphere, so let’s make it our own."
Mikel has been impressed with Ruben Amorim's side since the Portuguese took charge in November 2024, having won away at Manchester City and drawn 2-2 at Anfield.
"When you look especially at the big teams [they’ve played], how they perform and the results that they’ve got, it’s very impressive," he said.
"I know him well, I followed him a lot when he was in Portugal and there is a big reason why he is where he is at the moment, and he deserves to be there."
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