Gary Neville to frame Arsenal shirt signed by Mikel Arteta
Gary Neville has promised to frame a signed Arsenal shirt presented to him by Mikel Arteta to mark the Gunners’ Premier League title win.
The former Manchester United defender was part of a fierce rivalry that existed between the two clubs in the 90s and 00s, missing out on the league three times to Arsene Wenger’s side in 1998, 2002 and 2004 and playing in some memorably bad-tempered meetings.
He was given the shirt, signed by Arteta and bearing the words “our best supporter”, by co-owner Josh Kroenke on a visit to Arsenal’s training ground with the Overlap podcast on Tuesday.
“Thank you so much, that will get framed, it will go in my house, that,” said Neville. “Thank you, you deserve it.”
Arteta’s side ended a 22-year wait to be crowned champions last week following Man City’s failure to beat Bournemouth, lifting the trophy on Sunday at Selhurst Park after beating Crystal Palace.
It followed a nervous finish to the league season that saw Pep Guardiola’s side reel in the Gunners having at one stage been nine points behind.
Had City lost at Anfield on February 8, they would have squandered their game in hand on the leaders, but goals in the final seven minutes from Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland turned the game around.
Victory at Burnley on April 22 saw City knock Arsenal off the summit but Arteta’s side showed the steelier nerve on the run-in to end more than two decades of frustration.
“It’s been much better than I could ever imagine,” said Arteta. “It’s been so emotional, so natural, and to see that much joy, happiness and pride around the club, it’s just amazing.
“So to actually do it, it feels amazing and gives a lot of value to a lot of people who have contributed to achieve that.”
Arsenal are set to fly out to Budapest on Thursday in preparation for the Champions League final against Paris Saint Germain.
Victory on Saturday will see the club crowned champions of Europe for the first time and will be a final reward for the patience shown in Arteta following a difficult start to his tenure after being appointed in 2019.
“I was expecting a lot of work when I came to Arsenal, but not as deep, as profound,” said Arteta. “And then you need time because this wasn’t about changing the identity of a team to play him in a certain way or improve certain tactics. It was much deeper than that.
“But I love the challenge as well. It was an incredible opportunity. When things are not in the place that this club deserves to help and to get certain direction and put them right is the most fulfilling part.”