Mikel Arteta received the Manager of the Year award at award at the London Football Awards on Monday evening.
The awards show celebrates London’s best talents across all three tiers of English football and Arteta came first in his category.
The Spaniard has led Arsenal on an extraordinary title charge this season, as they chase their first Premier League trophy in nearly 20 years.
An assured 3-0 victory over Fulham on the weekend restored their five-point cushion over second-placed Manchester City, and Arteta hinted that his side had the advantage over Pep Guardiola’s men.
Arteta makes title race hint
Upon winning the award, the Gunners boss was asked if he had a message for the Arsenal fans, to which he replied: “Thank you for the support and the patience.”
“Hopefully we give them a lot back. We are trying hard to fulfil all the enthusiasm and all the joy that we can hopefully give them at the end of the season.”
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It was a rare crack in Arteta’s usually stone-faced exterior in interviews, as he professed his desire to win the Premier League trophy.
Bukayo Saka was also among the awards as he picked up the Young Player of the Year Award to add to his growing collection which incudes England’s Player of the Year award.
Meanwhile, Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard was awarded the Player of the Year award. William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli, and Aaron Ramsdale were all nominees on the night.
The Gunners host Sporting Lisbon at the Emirates in their next match on Thursday. The tie is balanced on a knife edge at 2-2, but Arteta will hope the home support will help secure a pot in the quarter-finals.
