Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Rio Ferdinand makes bold Mikel Arteta sack claim as PSG target Arsenal boss

mirror.co.uk, 15 March 2022, 18:14
Arsenal are on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League with the likes of PSG monitoring Mikel Arteta's situation, but Rio Ferdinand reckons Mikel Arteta's could come under scrunity even with a top-four finish

Rio Ferdinand reckons Arsenal fans will turn on Mikel Arteta and will be calling for him to be sacked if they're knocked out of the Champions League group stages next season.

The Gunners, who are a point ahead of Manchester United with three games in hand, are favourites to finish fourth this campaign. The Spaniard has done a tremendous job to put the north Londoners in this position given their eighth-place standing last season.

It's not long since Arteta was facing calls to be axed after Arsenal's dismal start to the season with three defeats to open the campaign. But the tables have completely turned with the Emirates club on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League, and now the likes of Paris Saint-Germain are monitoring the Gunners boss as they consider Mauricio Pochettino's future.

Ferdinand, though, reckons the mood can easily flip once again at Arsenal as expectations will be raised if they're playing Champions League football again. And the former Manchester United defender reckons supporters could soon be calling for Arteta to be sacked if the Gunners are dumped out at the group stages.

Speaking on his Vibe with Five Podcast, he said: 'Don't lie. All your fans, Arsenal fans, we know. The hype will be real around expectations. You'll be hyping it up, expectations through the roof. If you went out in the group stages, 'Mikel Arteta out,' I'll be hearing that. You heard that here first!"

PSG have taken notice of Arteta's meteoric rise as a head coach as they look to replace Pochettino in the summer. The Spaniard heads a nine-man shortlist as the French giants are prepared for a complete overhaul with up to as many as nine first-team players up for sale.

Arteta has less than 18 months left of his current contract, which expires in the summer of 2023. Arsenal, though, are confident they can tie their former captain down to a long-term deal.

Should Mikel Arteta consider a move to PSG? Comment below

Arteta says his side will embrace their tag as 'favourites' to finish in fourth place as Man United, Tottenham and West Ham chase them down. But he insists his side will not get carried away as there's still a lot of football left to be played.

Arteta said: "Well, that's the pressure of playing for this club, to be the best and we're not there yet. If the objective is that, it's not pressuring, it has to be a motivation, a challenge and a clear understanding that the purpose to play for this club is only to be the best and what we've done so far means absolutely nothing and I think everybody has to be encouraged and empowered by the possibility to find ways to improve and get better."

Asked if it's an advantage to have games in hand, he added: "Well, it certainly puts you in a position where you're really looking forward to look up and it gives you the belief that you can be there with the top teams in the country, but the reality is that there's still a long way to go."

Pick up your Daily Mirror every day of the Cheltenham Festival for a FREE £2 shop bet with William Hill which can be used on any of the sporting action! 18 + Terms apply. See tomorrow's paper for your voucher.

Top News

14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England interim manager Lee Carsley has played down Harry Kane's strong words about the withdrawal of many of his teammates, insisting he is looking forward to working with other players who also deserve a chance. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly fearful that Lisandro Martinez could spend an extended spell on the sidelines with the hip injury that has forced him to withdraw from Argentina duty. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sporting Lisbon wing-back Maximiliano Araujo has hinted that he hopes to join Pep Guardiola at Manchester City in the near future. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Morocco will be looking to maintain their 100% record in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers when they visit the Stade de Franceville to take on Gabon on Friday. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk San Marino will hope to leapfrog Gibraltar and prevent them from earning promotion from their UEFA Nations League D group when they welcome them to Stadio Olimpico di Serravalle on Friday. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In their fifth UEFA Nations League C match of 2024-25, Northern Ireland are set to host Belarus on Friday at Windsor Park, with victory enough to guarantee a place in the top two. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Zimbabwe will be hoping to book their place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations when they face Kenya on matchday five of qualifying this Friday at the Peter Mokaba Stadium. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United could reportedly move for Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite and Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez during next summer's transfer window. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool should arguably be considered favourites for Premier League glory after they took charge of the title race last weekend when they beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield and moved five points ahead of second-placed Manchester City. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Burnley could reportedly offer Ruud van Nistelrooy the chance to make a swift return to English football, with the Clarets interested in bringing him in as their new manager. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Cristiano Ronaldo is set to lead Portugal out in Porto when they face Poland in the UEFA Nations League on Friday night. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England captain Harry Kane has expressed his disappointment at the number of players to have withdrawn from the Three Lions squad for their UEFA Nations League fixtures with Greece and Republic of Ireland. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsi has been handed a call-up to the Spain squad for the national team's November international fixtures against Denmark and Switzerland in the UEFA Nations League. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid youngster Marc Cucalon has been forced to retire from professional football at the age of 19 due to a serious knee injury which he suffered in the latter stages of 2022. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona have revealed that Ansu Fati has been ruled out for around four weeks with a hamstring injury. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Portugal manager Roberto Martinez is facing a crisis at centre-back ahead of their UEFA Nations League clash with Poland in Porto on Friday night. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Portugal welcome Poland to Porto on matchday five of the UEFA Nations League on Friday night. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has said that it is "the right moment" for Ruben Amorim to arrive at Old Trafford, claiming that the Portuguese "did something very special" at Sporting Lisbon. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal defender Ben White has apparently gone under the knife to treat a joint issue in his knee, which will sideline the Englishman for around two months. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid have reportedly identified Al-Nassr centre-back Aymeric Laporte and Tottenham Hotspur right-back Pedro Porro as two of their top defensive targets for 2025. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly among three Premier League clubs interested in FC Nordsjaelland full-back Daniel Svensson. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly among three Premier League clubs interested in FC Nordsjaelland full-back Daniel Svensson. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Botswana will host Mauritania in their penultimate 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Francistown Stadium on Friday. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia has provided a positive injury update ahead of potentially representing Belgium. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Scotland's stay in the UEFA Nations League's top tier could be brought to its end on Friday, when they face an almost must-win game against League A Group 1 rivals Croatia. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Lamine Yamal is among a number of absentees for Spain, as the national side conclude their 2024-25 UEFA Nations League group-stage campaign with fixtures against Denmark and Switzerland. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Spain will be bidding to secure top spot in Group 4 of League A in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League when they head to Denmark on Friday evening for what is shaping up to be an intriguing affair. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brighton & Hove Albion forward Danny Welbeck has claimed that speculation regarding a potential return to Manchester United is "irrelevant". 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly identified Manchester City winger Jack Grealish as a potential January transfer target. 13 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly interested in joining the race to sign a Benfica defender in 2025.