Mikel Arteta beat Frank Lampard in the FA Cup final and showed his gratitude to Pep Guardiola for his impact on his coaching career.
Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang hit the back of the net either side of the midway stoppage for Arsenal to triumph at Wembley Stadium. The Gunners captain rendered Christian Pulisic’s fifth-minute strike useless.
Reflecting on his first season in charge of a top European club, an ecstatic Arteta hailed Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard reflected on the Catalan’s impact on his coaching career.
“He has been a key figure in my development as a coach,” 101 Goals reported Arteta at his post-match news conference.
“He has my gratitude. I wouldn’t be sitting here today without him. I have to thank him big time.”
Arsenal finished eighth and needed an FA Cup triumph to ensure a positive end to the season. His adversary for the night, Frank Lampard, was in a similar situation.
However, Lampard was in a much better position after leading the Blues to Champions League qualification after finishing fourth.
To Arteta’s credit, he took over mid-season and changed their fortunes. The lockdown helped him acclimatize the Gunners to his philosophy, which transformed their season.
Arsenal’s highlight of the season has to be their FA Cup triumph but successive victories over Liverpool and Manchester City are a close second.