Josh Kroenke offered Mikel Arteta gesture to help Arsenal recover from blow

15 May 2023 , 14:06

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Josh Kroenke offered Mikel Arteta gesture to help Arsenal recover from blow

Josh Kroenke paid Mikel Arteta a visit after Arsenal suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat at home to Brighton on Sunday to all but end their Premier League title hopes.

The Arsenal co-chairman watched on from the Emirates as Arteta's side crumbled and gave Manchester City the chance to win their third successive league crown next weekend. While the Gunners' pursuit of a first title in 19 years looks to have come to an end, Kroenke remains confident that Arteta will bring the glory days back to the club.

In an effort to help the Arsenal manager recover from Sunday's defeat, Kroenke went to see him after the match. The Evening Standard adds that the American chief was accompanied by LA Rams head coach Sean McVay, who's in charge of the NFL team also owned by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment (KSE).

Like with Arteta at Arsenal, KSE gambled on hiring young coach McVay back in 2017. He quickly impressed by taking the Rams to the Super Bowl final just a year later, only to lose. KSE then backed their coach in the market, purchasing a number of established stars, and in 2021, the Rams won the Super Bowl as vindication of their belief in McVay.

Josh, son of family head Stan, kept faith with Arteta after a wretched start to the 2021-22 season and has reaped the rewards, with Arsenal now back in the Champions League. The Gunners boss knows that he has the family's backing, saying in March: "I believe they were really patient in exactly the right way.

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"Now they have shown they are fully committed, they have big ambitions and they are fully behind the club to give everything they can to make it successful. I am convinced the owners will continue to do everything to make us very successful and continue to invest in the club in the right way."

Josh Kroenke was in attendance at the Emirates (David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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Josh and dad Stan want to repeat that route of success they had through McVay with Arteta, who believes that Arsenal's title challenge this campaign is a reason to be cheerful in the long term. However, the Spaniard also noted: "With the level that is required to fight for the Premier League, the way we want to fight and to be in the Champions League, it's a lot to think about."

Arteta shouldered the blame for the Brighton loss, saying: "I am responsible for what happened today. My job is to get the best out of every single individual that we have in our hands and if we have to take it in the last four-and-a-half months, I will have to. I have tried to do that with the best ability but today, obviously, I didn't do it."

Nathan Ridley