Alan Shearer perfectly sums up key difference between Mikel Arteta and Erik ten Hag

Alan Shearer has named the biggest reason why Mikel Arteta is being viewed on a higher level to Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag despite only having an FA Cup to show for his work - Arsenal have proven they are capable of pushing Manchester City hard in the league.

While Ten Hag has won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup compared to Arteta's solitary medal from the latter, former Newcastle goalscorer Shearer reckons the Gunners head coach has already proven his value.

And with Arsenal, who face City on Sunday, again expected to be the closest challenger to the Premier League champions, United might merely find themselves fighting for fourth place again.

Shearer, who was speaking to Betfair, said: "I understand that Arteta has only won one FA Cup in his time there, but there's no doubt that there's certainly progress within the football club, and they're improving all the time.

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"When we compare that to Erik Ten Hag and Manchester United, we’d be speaking about the pressure Arteta's under if Arsenal were finishing eighth or ninth, like Man Utd did last season, albeit they did win the FA Cup.

"These teams must be getting into the Champions League every season, and they have to be challenging at the top like Man City.

"City have won the last four titles and they're going for a fifth which is incredible, but Man United have been nowhere near challenging Man City in terms of league positions and that is the big difference in why Arteta has been a success at Arsenal, compared to Ten Hag at Manchester United."

Arteta last week signed a new contract - 72 hours before winning the North London Derby. And Shearer added: "On the eve of the [ Tottenham ] game, Mikel Arteta signed a new contract, and his time at Arsenal can be considered a success because they have improved and are still improving. They're trying so hard to keep up with the juggernaut of Man City.

" Liverpool managed to get over the line a few years ago and win the title, but we are talking about a genius in Pep Guardiola and the finance he’s got behind him at Man City, means when you put all that together, they're almost impossible to get through.

"That's what the challenge is for Liverpool, for Arsenal or any team that's hoping to get near Man City. It's a very, very difficult job."

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