Mikel Arteta: Not winning trophies has been ‘difficult to accept’ for Arsenal

Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal’s trophy drought has been “difficult to accept” as he prepares to end six years of hurt in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.

Arteta will lock horns with former mentor Pep Guardiola at Wembley Stadium for the first hurdle of Arsenal’s unprecedented quadruple quest.

Arteta won the FA Cup in his opening season as Arsenal manager, but his side have fallen short since, and Sunday’s encounter will be their first final since their 2020 triumph, 2,059 days ago.

Speaking on the eve of what he has already described as a “defining moment” in Arsenal’s campaign, Arteta reflected on the barren years.

“Obviously the willingness to win has always been there, and that doesn’t change if I win one, two, three or five (trophies),” said Arteta.

“But, yes, it has been difficult to accept because I want to win every competition that I’m involved in.

“When you have been in this position and gone years without winning a trophy, obviously it adds more necessity, but also more drive because you really want it.

“And that’s something that we have. That is something really important for us and something that we’ve been trying to achieve for a while and now we have the opportunity to do it.

“But you also have to understand in sport that sometimes other players and other teams are better than you, and what you have to do is to be able to look in the mirror, give absolutely everything, and be better than them and that’s what we are chasing.”

One. More. Day.