Mikel Arteta 'corrects' reporter over Arsenal's record of one trophy in five years | OneFootball

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta took exception to suggestions that the Gunners have only won one trophy during his five years in charge of the club as they prepare for a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie against Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.

Having been appointed successor to Unai Emery in December 2019, Arteta delivered an unexpected FA Cup triumph just eight months later.

The former club captain has since restored Arsenal to Premier League title challengers, mounting a first serious charge in 15 years during 2022/23 and going even closer the following season. But the FA Cup and Carabao Cup haven't delivered further success, while there is now scrutiny over Arsenal's silverware credentials amid a tough recent league run and a growing reliance on set-pieces.

But when a question was put to Arteta before this week's Palace encounter about not winning a trophy since the FA Cup in 2020, he wanted to set the record straight.

"The Charity Shield twice, no?" came his response, before addressing the question's wider point.

Arsenal beat Man City in the 2023 Community Shield / Nigel French/Allstar/GettyImages

Arsenal have indeed lifted the Community Shield twice in recent years, beating Liverpool and Manchester City, both on penalties, at Wembley Stadium in 2020 and 2023 respectively.

The trophy, which was renamed in 2002, is the season's annual curtain raiser pitting the reigning league champions against the FA Cup holders. It is England's equivalent of a domestic Super Cup but isn't viewed the same way as other similar competitions in Europe, like the Supercopa de Espana, Supercoppa Italiana and DFL-Supercup. Most in England consider it a minor trophy.

That might explain why Arteta, brought up in Spain, places greater value on it. He isn't alone in that either, with Pep Guardiola questioning in 2019 why English football doesn't "count" the Community Shield. Jose Mourinho similarly claimed to have won a "treble" in his debut 2016/17 season with Manchester United because of Carabao Cup, Europa League and Community Shield triumphs.