Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has underlined the seismic shift in mentality his former club would experience if Mikel Arteta guides them to Champions League qualification.
The Invincible was speaking on BT Sport after the Gunners’ 1-0 win away at Aston Villa courtesy of Bukayo Saka’s half-hour strike. Arsenal are four points clear of fifth-place Manchester United with a game in hand over their fourth-spot challengers.
Arsenal are now on the brink of Champions League football, which they haven’t experienced since the 2016/17 season. However, Keown is not getting ahead of himself, albeit explained what a top four finish would mean for his former employers.
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He added: "Until the job is done, I’m never relaxed. But, they’ve got a really good opportunity. The thing that has changed is they used to not be able to compete in games.
"If Arsenal get into the top four now, it completely transforms the club. Spurs want it, Man United are eager to sustain it."
Tottenham are six points behind the Gunners in seventh, although a win in their game in hand over United would see them leapfrog the Red Devils.
Keown praised Arteta for turning around the fortunes of the club after a woeful start to the campaign saw them rock bottom of the league. "Arsenal are so improved, they lost the first three games of the season, remember," he said.
"It’s been eighth-place finishes under Arteta for two-and-a-half years, comparing that to Gerrard today who’s been here four months - don’t get me wrong I think he’s got a good squad and it’ll be an outstanding story here at Villa - but Arteta is well ahead at the moment."
Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole, also speaking on BT Sport, said Arsenal showed signs of "maturity" in the win over Villa, tipping his hat to Arteta in his commendation. He said: "[It was] a mature performance, the tactical maturity, the decision-making, the resilience.
"All these things you wouldn’t usually associate with Arsenal. It was how they took the steam out of the game. Arsenal previously would’ve been immature, they’d have gone long and allowed Villa into the game. But, Arteta just nullified them, kept possession, it was fantastic."
