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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta gives out instructions from the touchline during the pre-season friendly against Sevilla. Emirates Stadium, July 30, 2022.

How Mikel Arteta’s last 50 league games compare with his first 50

After a difficult start to his managerial career, Mikel Arteta has silenced his doubters and got Arsenal back on the right track.

Arteta worked under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City before replacing Unai Emery in the Arsenal dugout in December 2019.

Despite leading Arsenal to the FA Cup in his debut season, the 40-year-old iniitally struggled to fix their Premier League form.

His 50th league game in charge of the Gunners didn’t go to plan as they produced a poor performance against Liverpool in April 2021 and lost 3-0 at the Emirates.

“They deserved to win the game with the margin they have or more. Unacceptable, from our side, the way we played today,” Arteta told Sky Sports after the game.

“They were much better than us in every department. They won every duel, every second ball, every challenge. They were brave when they had the ball, they made the right decisions – we didn’t. It’s my fault.”

The defeat left Arsenal ninth in the Premier League table and Arteta faced a lot of criticism in the media. But the Arsenal baord kept faith in the Spaniard, allowing him to spend £150million on new signings in the summer of 2021.

Arsenal showed signs of improvement in 2021-22 but narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification, finishing just two points behind north London rivals Tottenham.

The Gunners have since bounced back and enjoyed a sensational start to the 2022-23 season, winning all of their opening four games for just the third time in the Premier League era.

Their 2-1 win over Fulham was also Arteta’s 100th league game as Arsenal manager, and he was full of praise for his players.

“We’ve grown up, we have more alternatives, I think we have matured as well,” Arteta said. “Playing in front of these supporters helps because they are driving you as well and then it’s about belief.

“A lot of that is about belief and confidence that you can do it and now we have that.”

We’ve taken a look at his first 50 league games in charge of the Gunners and then his most recent league games to see how they’ve improved.

First 50

Won: 21
Drawn: 12
Lost: 17

Goals for: 72
Goals against: 56
Clean sheets: 15

Points per game: 1.5
Win rate: 42%
Loss rate: 34%

Goals per game: 1.44
Goals against per game: 1.12

Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta fist bump before the Premier League match between Arsenal and Liverpool at Emirates Stadium, London, July 2020.

READ: Comparing Mikel Arteta’s record after 100 PL games with Klopp’s

Last 50

Won: 32
Drawn: 4
Lost: 14

Goals for: 87
Goals against: 55
Clean sheets: 19

Points per game: 2.0
Win rate: 64%
Loss rate: 28%

Goals per game: 1.74
Goals against per game: 1.1


READ MORE: Where are they now? Arsenal’s first Premier League XI from 1992