Plenty for Arsenal to savour in chase for European glory

It is five years since Mikel Arteta was in Ruben Amorim’s position, drafted in mid-season to replace a manager who had failed to revive a lurching giant. If anything, Arteta was more inexperienced than the 40-year-old he will face in the dugout at Old Trafford on March 9 when Arsenal play Manchester United.

Arteta was 37, taking on his first front-line role as a manager, whereas Amorim had enjoyed a spell of success at Sporting Lisbon, playing Champions League football and winning two domestic titles. There are many parallels to draw though, at present, as Amorim continues to look ill-suited for the challenge ahead, at times too honest in his assessments of the mess he inherited and now presides over, the chances of him lasting five years seem remote.

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