Mikel Arteta declared he was ready to give his life to ensure Arsenal win major trophies after they secured Champions League football for next season.
The Gunners ensured they will be back in the Champions League and all but secured second place in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over third-placed Newcastle United on Sunday.
Arsenal were second-best for much of the first half, but Declan Rice’s stunning long-range strike 10 minutes into the second wrapped up all three points.
The Gunners, though, fell well short in the title race as Liverpool cantered to Premier League glory and, after losing to Newcastle in the semi-final of the EFL Cup and Paris Saint-Germain at the same stage of the Champions League, Arsenal will end a fifth straight season without a major trophy.
Arteta told a press conference: “Liverpool have a trophy – we don’t have a trophy. We are unsatisfied and upset. But I think we are on the right trajectory.
“What I can promise is that I will do my very best [to win a trophy] and I will give my life, and get every drop of everybody here to squeeze it and get the best out of them.”
Arteta addressed the Emirates Stadium crowd after Arsenal’s final home game of the season, vowing there is more to come following a run in the Champions League that included a memorable quarter-final win over Real Madrid.
“We had a dream, it was to be here or in a week’s time and bring the big trophies to you guys and we couldn’t do it for many circumstances,” he said.
“We need to make sure that chasing a dream doesn’t get blurry and make sure we chase the dream with positivity and enthusiasm for next season.
“We have to start creating our own history here in this stadium and we started this season. There is much more to come and it won’t be easy. These players have the talent.
“We need to rest and finish at Southampton and then go on holiday. Any other club in this position would finish in a position that we cannot even dream of.”
Arsenal will be sure of a third successive second-place finish in the Premier League if Manchester City drop points against Bournemouth on Tuesday.
