'I remember when I won something' - Ferdinand skewers Arsenal and claims Man Utd may have had a better season

Rio Ferdinand suggested that Manchester United may have had a better season than Arsenal.

The Gunners’ title credentials were dealt a massive blow on Friday night, as Mikel Arteta’s men only managed to claim a draw against bottom club Southampton.

The topsy-turvy encounter saw the Saints silence a raucous Emirates by claiming a two-goal lead within the opening 15 minutes.

While Gabriel Martinelli pulled one back before half-time, Duje Caleta-Car reclaimed Southampton’s two-goal cushion to put Southampton just minutes away from recording a vital win at the Emirates.

Arsenal rallied late, however, dramatically netting a pair of goals in the dying embers via captain Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.

But in failing to claim an all-important winner, Arsenal travel to the Etihad on Wednesday with a five-point lead over Manchester City, but having played two extra games.

Rio Ferdinand on Arsenal

With Arsenal’s title ambitions now hanging by a thread, Ferdinand suggested that should the Gunners finish second and United claim third place, the latter would have had a better season.

Erik ten Hag’s men were humbled 3-0 by Sevilla on Thursday evening to be knocked out of the Europa League, while their domestic form has been inconsistent. However, the Old Trafford club did claim the Carabao Cup in February - their first silverware of any kind in six years.

Ferdinand claimed on BT Sport: “Man Utd, if they finish third and they’ve won the Carabao Cup, they would have had a better season than if Arsenal finished second without a trophy.

The former United centre-back added: “My point is who is happiest? When you retire and someone goes, ‘Oh, what a season that was’ - they’re not going to say that about finishing second.

“I don’t remember what year I finished second. I remember what year I won something, whether it be the Carabao Cup, whether it be the Champions League or the Premier League.

“You don’t remember finishing second, third or fourth. It’s irrelevant.

“If you’re aspiring to win and be champions - that’s what Arsenal are now, Arsenal are trying to transition from being a club hoping to get Champions League football to trying to win silverware.

“If they keep thinking second’s great they’ll stay there and keep finishing second.”

Topics: Football, Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Premier League, Rio Ferdinand

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.