Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is currently thriving in his role after making his side title contenders, but it was not always plain sailing.
Arteta’s first few years as a manager saw him inherit a squad which needed clearing out, with an unstable structure above his head.
Despite the difficulties Arteta faced when he first returned to Arsenal in December 2019, he had a bright start as his side began to recover from the disastrous form they suffered under Unai Emery, but this would only last so long.
When football returned after lockdown, Arsenal were one of the first teams to play, and they faced a tough trip to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City.
They were handed their first domestic defeat of 2020 in June as they were easily beaten 3-0, and defender David Luiz suffered a nightmare as he gave a goal away, gave a penalty away and was sent off in one of the most disastrous substitute appearances in Premier League history.
However, he would redeem himself a month later, in what was one of Arteta’s finest wins as Arsenal manager to this day.
Mikel Arteta showed potential of Arsenal project in FA Cup victory over Manchester City
Arsenal’s form was suffering post-lockdown, with a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur a particularly low moment. However, they managed to beat champions Liverpool at the Emirates against the odds, and then secured their place in the FA Cup final as massive underdogs.
Arteta would face Pep Guardiola for the second time after leaving Manchester City to return to Arsenal, and memories of that 3-0 defeat were still fresh in the memory as his side headed to Wembley for the FA Cup semi-final on June 18th 2020.
What happened next was extraordinary. Arteta showed his tactical acumen as despite the limitations of his squad, his side played a pragmatic style and played the ball out from the back.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored an outstanding brace, finishing off an excellent team move to open the scoring in the first half, before latching onto a long ball from Kieran Tierney to slot through Ederson’s legs to seal the victory.
Despite Aubameyang’s brace, David Luiz was the most impressive performer on the pitch. The centre-back, who was ripped apart by Man City just weeks before, was a rock at the back as he showed his true quality and big-game experience.
David Luiz enjoyed Arsenal redemption in FA Cup victory over Manchester City
Luiz was understandably unpopular in the weeks after his disasterclass at the Etihad Stadium, during which point his future was up in the air.
He made himself a hero in the 90 minutes at Wembley Stadium with his fierce display, and fans were equally impressed by his interview after the game.
“There was a lot of criticism of me, I think you can say that,” Luiz stated after the game.
“That’s part of football. I understood during my career that part of football is about surviving. Every day you’re going to defend your team, and the other people are going to support different teams.
“It’s about surviving, so that’s what I did. I was working hard every single day after my mistakes. I took the blame, I was mature enough to understand that. I was also humble [enough] to work more for the team.
“We have a final to play this season. We are going to try to win a title for this club because this club, I always say, deserves to shine again.”
Luiz then went on to deliver another outstanding display in the final against his former club Chelsea, and lifted the trophy. He signed a one year extension, and by the time he left, he was an incredibly popular figure amongst his teammates.
The Brazilian was an underrated leader in the squad, and was appreciated by the young stars such as Bukayo Saka coming through at the time, who benefitted from having such an experienced figure to look up to.
Arsenal had beaten Guardiola’s Man City for the first time, and it came in a season-saving game for the club, as well as a statement win for Arteta and a legacy-changing victory for Luiz.
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