Tottenham secured their first piece of silverware in 17 years on Wednesday night, leaving Arsenal embarrassed by their rivals.
The Lilywhites won the Europa League in Bilbao, beating Manchester United 1-0 in a game that lacked quality.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have now gone five seasons without winning a trophy, and the pressure is starting to grow on Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners have faced significant adversity this season, and the Spaniard has received sympathy for this, but these sentiments may go out the window next term if there’s a lack of silverware once again.
To rub salt in the wounds, Tottenham will now compete in the Champions League next season, despite sitting 17th in the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta reacts to Tottenham’s Europa League win
Arsenal have been plagued by injury this season, with several key players missing for protracted periods, yet Arteta’s side were still able to reach the semi-final of the Champions League and will likely finish second in the league.
Spurs, on the other hand, spiralled out of control due to injury issues, although they’ve managed to salvage something meaningful from their campaign.
Brennan Johnson’s 42nd-minute goal gave Ange Postecoglou’s outfit the lead at San Mames, and a dire United side were unable to find an equaliser.
Asked about Tottenham’s triumph in the Basque Country in his press conference on Thursday morning, Arteta congratulated Postecoglou’s team.
“Yeah, congratulations to them,” the Arsenal boss said.
“They are champions, and when you get to that, you have to do a lot of things right. They have had a lot of difficulties, you have to congratulate.
“They have done everything in their hands to win it.”
Asked which side has enjoyed a better season, he replied: “I don’t like to compare with other teams, I focus on my team.”
What do Arsenal need to do to ensure they win a trophy next season?
While knockout competitions are ultimately somewhat random, Arsenal can give themselves the best chance possible of winning the Premier League next season, by strengthening in the transfer market.
Theoretically, the Gunners should be heading into the new campaign as favourites for the title, with Manchester City and Liverpool surely both set for rebuilds, while no other side is ready to compete for the honour.
However, they won’t assume this position as favourites without substantial recruitment.
A striker is needed at the Emirates, and Viktor Gyokeres has emerged as the primary candidate to fulfil this role.
Gyokeres would be an astute acquisition, although a top-quality winger will also be needed, with Rodrygo by far the most appealing option on the market.
Meanwhile, Martin Zubimendi could end up being a smart buy in midfield, with another defender and a goalkeeper also required.
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