Rio Ferdinand insists Manchester United have had a better season than Arsenal despite Mikel Arteta’s side leading the Premier League for over 240 days.
The Gunners were above Manchester City for the vast majority of the 2022/23 campaign but have ended up with no trophies, in comparison to United, who won the Carabao Cup in February and have an FA Cup final to look forward to.
Erik ten Hag has done a spectacular job in his first season at Old Trafford, also leading the Red Devils back into the Champions League after a year in the Europa League.
It is hard to judge who has had a more successful season out of the two clubs, though it can be said that Arsenal have exceeded expectations more so than United.
Ten Hag’s men are currently third in the Premier League and will finish there if they beat Fulham at home on Sunday, though anything less than a win for Newcastle United against Chelsea means United’s result does not matter.
Winning a trophy is the big difference here, even if it is only the Carabao Cup, and Red Devils legend Ferdinand thinks his former club has had “a more successful season”.
Ferdinand asked on his YouTube channel: “Have Man United had a better season than Arsenal?
“If you were just laying it down and saying if you’re a player, do you want to finish fourth and win a trophy, whatever trophy that is, or third and win a trophy and qualify for the Champions League, or second, no trophy but be involved in the title race?
“I’m only taking the trophy and whatever position I finish, to finish in the Champions League, that’s it. That’s a more successful season.
“You can look at it that Arsenal and Arteta have made huge strides, so you have to tip your hat to them and say ‘well done’. They’ve done remarkably well to close the gap on Man City the way they did.
“But that’s a different conversation, we can go back to that next time.”
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