Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley on Saturday to lift a record-extending 14th FA Cup and boss Mikel Arteta thinks it’s only just the beginning.
Having taken over from Unai Emery with the team struggling big time at the end of last year, Arteta, in his first season as head coach, became the first man to captain and coach a club to the trophy, having lifted it in 2014 as skipper.
The Spaniard, who also beat Covid-19 this year, says of the achievement: “It’s a great start!
“I had only one mission when I came here [to Arsenal] and it was to make the players and the staff believe that we could do it...
“I am really proud of what we have achieved because I know the difficulties and everything we have been through.
“We had to change that energy and that mentality [when I joined] and just by seeing them in the dressing room all together, and the way they enjoy their profession and their time together, it makes me more proud and as a consequence of that after we can achieve things and win titles together.”
The Gunners came from behind to beat their cross-London rivals to qualify for the Europa League, saving their season after finishing eighth in the Premier League.
Arsenal fell behind in the final after just five minutes when Christian Pulisic started a move he went on to finish by tapping in beyond Emiliano Martinez.
But the Gunners worked their way back into the game and equalised on 28 minutes when Blues skipper Cesar Azpilicueta pulled down his Arsenal counterpart Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for a penalty.
Aubameyang made no mistake from the spot and the Gunners were boosted when both Azpilicueta and Pulisic went off injured before half time.
The skipper then made it 2-1 in the 67th minute with a chipped finish after a counter attack to hit the lead before Chelsea had Mateo Kovacic sent off for a second yellow.
Arteta’s next challenge is getting his double goal hero to sign a new contract.
He adds of Aubameyang: “I want to build a squad around him... I want him to stay, it’s about getting the deal done.”