Wayne Rooney has warned that this campaign could define Mikel Arteta’s future at Arsenal, saying the Spaniard is now under clear pressure to deliver silverware.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, his new twice-weekly podcast, the former Manchester United and England striker said Arsenal’s manager may have reached a decisive point in his tenure.
“Maybe not for Arsenal, but I think for Arteta, possibly,” Rooney said. “I think they’ve allowed him to bring a lot of players in, spend a lot of money. I imagine the board and certainly the fans will be expecting him to win the league. So I think it could be a big year for him.”
Arsenal’s 1-0 loss to Liverpool on Sunday — settled by a brilliant free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai — has sharpened scrutiny of Arteta. While many still see his project as a long-term one, Rooney believes patience may be wearing thin.
At the same time, he made it clear who he thinks remains favourite for the Premier League crown. “[Liverpool] are a very good team,” he said. “They’ve got the know-how and the knowledge of winning the league twice over the last few years. It’s a sign of a good team when you’re winning games.”
The 38-year-old argued Arsenal needed more courage at Anfield, suggesting they set up to avoid defeat rather than chase victory. “If they were just a little bit braver and actually took the game a bit more to Liverpool, I think they can go and win that,” Rooney said. “That’s a real chance missed. But Liverpool have done what champions do — they stayed in the game.”
Rooney also reflected on his own history with Liverpool, admitting the emotional strain of playing at Anfield was often overwhelming. “I hated going to Anfield,” he said. “The thought of losing the game was just horrible.”
As a boyhood Everton fan and later a Manchester United striker, Rooney said beating Liverpool always carried an extra weight. “I didn’t like Liverpool from either side. So beating them was such a good feeling,” he said, recalling how Sir Alex Ferguson sometimes refused to play him at Goodison Park or Anfield because he was too fired up.
“The manager could see it in me,” Rooney said. “He knew emotionally those two grounds — especially Anfield — were tough for me.”
Arteta, who has been in charge at Arsenal since December 2019, now faces what Rooney has framed as the most pivotal season of his career. For supporters, the question is whether his project will finally deliver the trophies it has promised.
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