Arsenal must ensure Arteta stays on, says Jorginho

LONDON: Arsenal must hold on to manager Mikel Arteta in the long run as he has created something special at the club, midfielder Jorginho said with his coach yet to renew his contract which expires at the end of next season.

The gunners, chasing their first premier league title for 20 years, are dislodged from the top of the table by the time they kick off at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Manchester City are on top and having a match in hand.

Arsenal will be confident they can beat a spluttering United team, who appear increasingly likely to miss out on European football next season after their embarrassing 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace on Monday.

“I feel that he could stay way longer,” Jorginho said. “I feel he feels good here and I honestly don’t see him going.

“It is really important for the club for him to stay because him, with (technical director) Edu (Gaspar) and the board, the whole club, they have created something special.

“What he (Arteta) has been doing here since he joined has been incredible. It is not just a coincidence that we are where we are now.”

Former Arsenal player Arteta became manager in 2019 and the Spaniard has been linked with a move to Barcelona.

Arteta, speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, said his players must keep their focus even though they are not in control of the title race.

“We have to think it is going to work and what’s going to work is that we try to be better than our opponents and beat them and the final outcome, that will be something else,” the Spaniard said.

“At the moment that is not in our control. We know the difficulty in our history when you look at what we’ve done over there (at Old Trafford) so we’re going to have to be at our best to earn the right to win the game.”