The FA Cup third-round clash between Arsenal and Manchester United holds on Sunday.
This is as Mikel Arteta on Friday hailed the achievements of opposing manager, Ruben Amorim, who has made waves since taking charge in November 2024.
With results like a win at Manchester City and a 2-2 draw at Anfield, Amorim’s side has caught Arteta’s attention.
“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,” Arteta remarked in his pre-match press conference.
A statement retrieved from the Arsenal website on Saturday morning revealed this.
“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,” he said.
For Arteta, the FA Cup holds a special place in his career.
The competition gave him his first major trophy as a player in 2014 and later as Arsenal’s manager in 2020, when the Gunners defeated Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley.
Despite recent struggles to progress beyond the fourth round, Arteta is determined to secure a record 15th FA Cup title for Arsenal, starting with Sunday’s high-stakes match.
“It’s a massive part of our history,” Arteta emphasised.
“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 of supporters that they’re going to bring, so it’s a very big game,” he added.
Arteta called on Arsenal fans to match the energy of the 8,000 traveling Manchester United supporters, aiming to create a raucous atmosphere at the Emirates.
“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,” he said.
According to the release, as Arsenal face a tough challenge from the FA Cup holders and 13-time winners, Arteta is ready to channel the competition’s storied legacy and Amorim’s impressive credentials into an unforgettable showdown.
