‘Can’t see Arsenal sacking him’ - Why Mikel Arteta could still leave if Gunners miss out on the Premier League title as former striker addresses ‘bottle’ criticism

Rather inevitably, speculation is raging regarding Arteta’s future and what another near miss could mean for him. Quizzed on whether the man currently at the helm will still be in charge on the first day of next season if major silverware proves elusive once more, ex-Gunners forward Dickov - speaking exclusively to GOAL courtesy of MrQ - said: “I can't see Arsenal sacking him. I genuinely think that the job he's done since he came in to where they are now, the team, the club, it’s a completely different animal - challenging at the top end in Europe, Premier League.

“But if they do finish this season, after only a few weeks ago having the chance of winning four trophies and ending with none, I think it's going to be difficult. Well, it's difficult conversations to be had. I can't see Arsenal sacking him, but I think Mikel might feel that he's maybe took them as far as he can.”

Pressed on whether big decisions there could be influenced by the potential availability of others - such as Diego Simeone or Luis Enrique - Dickov added: “I don't think it will influence the club. I think it will be as much a club decision as a Mikel Arteta’s decision.

“It's whether Mikel feels that he's took them as far as he possibly can. He's a proud man. If they do finish the season with nothing, he'll be hurting. It's whether he might feel that might be the time to maybe sit down with the club and it's the same mutual agreement or come to some sort of understanding.

“It just shows you how crazy this game is. We've got five games left of the season - if he wins the Premier League, he could be there for the next 10 years. It's just a crazy world that we live in. If they finish with nothing, it's going to be difficult for them to continue. Just purely because of, not just this season, but what's happened in previous seasons as well.”

This is not the first time that Arsenal have tumbled from the summit after boasting a commanding advantage. With that in mind, what is to blame for failure to complete the job?

Asked if untimely stumbles are the result of nerves, tiredness or a supposed lack of bottle, Dickov said: “I think injuries do play a part. It's not an excuse. I think if you look up to recent weeks when the likes of [Riccardo] Calafiori, [Jurrien] Timber - massive for how Arsenal play - both being out at the same time is a blow. People are saying [Bukayo] Saka's not had his best of seasons, numbers wise, but he's still a massive, massive influence on that team when he's on the football pitch.

“On the flip side, you look at City and they had their injuries earlier on in the season, but now they've got a fully fit squad that are absolutely flying. Timing is everything sometimes. It's no coincidence that Man City, at this stage of the season, hit the ground running with the experience that they've got.

“From Arsenal's point of view, I don't think it's bottle. I think they've been fantastic all season. They made a couple of tiny little slips that in other seasons they might be able to get away with, but you can't get away with them when you've got Man City breathing down your neck because they know how to do it.

“People say that your De Bruyne's have gone, which they have done, your Kyle Walker's have gone, which they have done. But I've been saying over the last few weeks that they have got players in that changing room that are serial winners still.

“This season with [Gianluigi] Donnarumma, Champions League, with Italy winning championships. Then you have Ruben Dias, John Stones, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland. All these players have been there and seen it and done it. They might not be on the pitch at the same time, but in that changing room that's vitally important.

“I do think that in other seasons, in other clubs, other teams, when Arsenal are that far ahead, they might have gave up a little bit. But City know that with the experience that they've got, that if they keep going, they can catch up and they've shown that again.”

Click here to read article