Should Arteta be under pressure at Arsenal after 5 years without a trophy?

When the 2024/25 season comes to a close, it will do so with Arsenal about to enter their sixth season since they last lifted silverware.

In that time, however, the Gunners have become consistent challengers for the Premier League title and could finish second for a third straight year with victory over Newcastle, live on Sky Sports on Sunday (kick-off 4.30pm).

Arsenal have also seen progress in Europe. Not only has Arteta led the north London club back to the Champions League, he has helped them reach a first Champions League semi-final in 16 years, beating 15-time winners Real Madrid on their way to the last four.

But, ultimately, the season has ended in disappointment for Arsenal and the lack of a trophy for a fifth straight year has raised question marks over what the future may hold for Arteta at the Emirates.

Should he be under pressure for a lack of trophies? Or is 'progress' enough without silverware? Our pundits and the Sky Sports Football writers have their say...

'Arsenal see progress under Arteta'

Sky Sports' Gary Neville:

I think it's a great achievement, in 2025, to not win a trophy for five years and still be the manager at a top club that isn't under pressure - from us, from anybody in the football community or even anyone in the Arsenal fanbase.

That's an incredible achievement because we thought those days were gone whereby you can have this type of patience being afforded to you.

I think it's a good thing: normally with five years without a trophy you'd ordinarily see a manager be under pressure. That's significant in that fact you think there is progression.

I'm glad that last Friday Mikel Arteta said in his press conference that they had gone backwards in the Premier League. Because they tickled our backs a little bit with the Champions League and it took the heat off them in how bad they've been in the Premier League.

They're 13 to 14 points worse off than when they were last season and the season before.

'Pressure on Arteta to win something big'

Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher:

I'm a massive fan of Mikel Arteta, the job he has done, 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 they go close again but don't get over the line. It feels like next season has to be the season."

Arteta needs to prove he is not Pochettino or Southgate

Sky Sports' Sam Blitz:

When Mikel Arteta first arrived at Arsenal, the main objective was not to win, but to compete.

The Spaniard was barely months into the job when his team gave Liverpool a guard of honour at the Emirates in 2020. His side won that league game 2-1 and then followed it up with: "The gap, in many areas, we cannot improve it in two months, but the gap between accountability, the energy, the commitment, the fight of the two teams is now equal."

Back then, Arsenal were miles off the summit - now it's a disappointment they are so far behind.

Many have, rightly, compared this Arsenal team to Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs. Arteta has matched Pochettino's feats of being regular second or third-place contenders in the Premier League and more prominent in Europe - but the final step to a trophy remains unfinished.

In fact, perhaps a better comparison to Arteta would be Gareth Southgate. Nobody can doubt the work Arteta has done at Arsenal to turn them into believers again, and how he has changed the way people see the Gunners. But there are doubts over whether he is the manager to get them over the final hurdle.

What helps Arteta is the path appears clear next season. A new striker, winger and holding midfielder - ones that improve the team - are needed. Assuming the injury crisis and red card fiascos do not emerge again, Arsenal would easily be deemed major contenders.

But that then might put added pressure on Arteta to deliver. The task is obvious, the areas to improve are obvious. It is easier said than done, but a sixth season without a trophy would add to the doubters, and create uncertainty among the believers.

'Time for cool heads at Arsenal'

Sky Sports' Adam Bate:

Arsenal finished eighth in the Premier League in Mikel Arteta's first two seasons as manager and then missed out on Champions League qualification in his third despite not having any European commitments to worry about. His FA Cup win helped buy time.

Ironically, Arsenal are much improved on five years ago, but they do not have the trophies to show for it. The prospect of both Chelsea and Tottenham picking up some European silverware in the coming weeks only exacerbates the feelings of frustration.

Perhaps it is time for cool heads. Manchester United may have bucked the trend in recent years, but trophies should be the result of good work. With Arsenal on course to finish second in the Premier League for the third year in a row, good work is being done.

Still only 43, Arteta remains among the youngest managers in English football and having invested so much in his obvious potential, Arsenal would risk regretting abandoning his project only to see him flourish elsewhere - possibly for years to come.

His key players are younger than those at Liverpool and his team more settled than that of Manchester City. Opportunity continues to knock for Arsenal. But it is increasingly clear that the next step for Arteta and his side needs to be a step in the right direction.

Time starting to tick on Arteta?

Sky Sports' Laura Hunter:

Another season of nearly moments must mean time is ticking on Mikel Arteta's 'trophy'ometer'. Arsenal have proven they can rise to the big occasion. They have ditched the fear that shackled them for almost a decade, never really believing they could beat the Bayern Munichs and Real Madrids, nor the Manchester Citys of this world. This current Arsenal outfit can.

But beneath the surface lies an uncomfortable truth that will come to define Arteta's reign if tangible success is not achieved next season. Eventually all the rhetoric about projects and pathways and progress will feel hollow.

"I feel pain and pride," Arteta said of the recent Champions League exit to PSG, and it's that juxtaposition of emotion that sums up the situation. As if the two are mutually exclusive at Arsenal, one must follow the other.

What will sting most is that Arteta has let this season, the most opportunistic in years, slip away. How have they lost the title again, but this time to a different club? Were they not best placed to usurp the mighty Man City machine when it finally faltered?

Finishing second has now lost its sense of satisfaction. Bridging that elusive gap to first place is surely more important than ever.

Arteta still the right man for the job

Sky Sports' Nick Wright:

A trophyless season feels like a missed opportunity given Manchester City's drop-off but any analysis of Arsenal's campaign is incomplete without giving due focus to their injuries.

The club suffered more of them than any other Premier League side, meaning constant disruption for a manager who had to go for long spells without multiple key players.

It is to Arteta's credit that he was still able to get Arsenal to a Champions League semi-final in the circumstances. The lack of options among their substitutes in those knockout games was glaring and contributed to them ultimately falling short.

Arsenal's injury problems might have been avoided had Arteta rotated more when he did have more options available in previous campaigns. Players such as Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz broke down having been pushed beyond their limits.

But squad depth has been an issue throughout Arteta's reign and that is the biggest issue the club need to address this summer. Arteta needs more quality in certain positions but he needs more options generally. Give him the tools and he will get Arsenal over the line.

'No more talk of progress - it's time to deliver'

Sky Sports' Peter Smith:

It is time to deliver at Arsenal.

Arsenal have won big games on the big stage. They have an outstanding record against the best teams in the Premier League. They can attack in different ways and give up little in defence. Their key performers are into their peak years and are loaded with experience.

Talk of progress and building projects must now come to an end. Go and do it.

Mikel Arteta, his staff, players and the club's hierarchy must learn the lessons from this season and ensure the same mistakes aren't made again. The team cannot be allowed to go into next year without a killer striker. Depth must be added in midfield and on the flanks to maximise their top talent. Fitness plans and workloads must be scrutinised to limit injury issues and discipline on the field must be improved to end the red-card cases.

But perhaps most crucial of all is to deliver the incredible consistency that is now required to win the Premier League title. Ninety points plus is the goal. No mid-winter wobbles. No slip-ups in the run-in. Mentally on it, every game, every day.

That is the pressure on Arteta and it's huge. But make no mistake, he is well aware of that - his internal drive far outweighs any external criticism or noise. Expect him to have his Arsenal team fly into the start of next season and this huge challenge.

'Previous good work cannot be thrown away'

Sky Sports' Oliver Yew:

Arsenal have come a long way under Arteta.

It wasn't long ago that Premier League title challenges and deep runs in the Champions League were a thing of dreams, but now they are a reality.

With that comes pressure to win and that is something Arteta hasn't done with Arsenal for five seasons now.

There's no getting away from the fact this has been a disappointing campaign. The Gunners' title challenge faltered when they appeared the team best set to replace Man City at the top of the pile. A brilliant run to the last four in the Champions League was ended by PSG, but one disappointing season doesn't mean the club should panic and throw all the good work of the past few seasons away.

It does feel like the time is now, however, for Arteta. Arsenal must deliver in the transfer market this summer to give the manager the squad depth and attacking talents he needs. Then, it's over to Arteta.

He's got to get Arsenal to the next level, and that means silverware. If he can't, the noise around him will get even louder.

'Arteta pressure comes with territory'

Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith:

Pressure comes with the territory.

Five years without a trophy isn't a long time. They're consistently challenging for the title, which shouldn't be overlooked.

It's a huge summer in terms of bringing players in, bringing a No 9 in, and then seeing what he can do with a better squad.

It is a little bit thin when it comes to rotation, he hasn't been able to rotate to the same extent as Liverpool.

When you're the manager of a big club, you live with that pressure.

'Arsenal fans could start to become frustrated'

Sky Sports' Clinton Morrison on Soccer Saturday:

Arsenal were close in the past two seasons but they have not been close this season.

This was arguably their best chance to win the Premier League, but they have been nowhere near good enough. Liverpool have been the better team.

Mikel Arteta is coming under pressure. There are a few question marks.

I don't think he'll lose his job. The club will back him again in the summer but next season is a big season for Arteta at Arsenal.

He needs to win stuff because Arsenal fans will start to become frustrated.

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