Mikel Arteta could give Arsenal 'massive issues' next season, claims Jamie Carragher | OneFootball

Carragher believes Arteta must find a way to end club’s five-year trophy wait next season

Fallen short: Arsenal have been unable to win a first trophy since the 2020 FA Cup

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Jamie Carragher has claimed Arsenal will have a “massive issue” over Mikel Arteta’s future if they do not win a trophy next season.

Arsenal took it to the final day of the season last year before Manchester City eventually sealed the title, but this time Liverpool have been crowned as champions with time to spare.

Arteta’s side sit 15 points behind Liverpool, though the focus has been on the Champions League in recent months, with it clear that was the club’s best chance of major silverware this season.

However, European glory proved beyond a step too far for Arsenal, who beat Real Madrid in the quarter-finals but fell short against PSG in the last-four, ending their hopes of lifting a first trophy since the FA Cup in 2020.

Arteta has now been in charge at Arsenal for five-and-a-half years and Carragher has suggested the pressure on him could become significant if the trophy wait is not ended next season, even if the club’s hierarchy remain behind the Spaniard.

"I'm a massive fan of Mikel Arteta,” Carragher said.

“The job he has done, to get Arsenal from where they were to here. They made the jump to competing with Man City and they followed it up again last season, and they've been the team that pushed Liverpool this season.

“But this season felt like it should have been their season. There's no doubt next season the pressure will be on Arteta massively in terms of winning something and winning something big.

"If they don't do that, the Arsenal board will have a massive issue, because they won't want to change the manager, but there will be lots of people saying 'five or six years without a trophy' and they will be looking at how many managers can make that next step.

"The problem with changing Mikel Arteta is that Arsenal could easily become what Chelsea are now, a team finishing second year in year out, to a team not getting into the Champions League. That's the big conundrum Arsenal will have in 12 months if Arsenal go close again but don't get over the line. It feels like next season has to be the season."