Mikel Arteta praised for 'winning mentality' by former teammate after Arsenal thrashed Tottenham

Mikel Arteta's side demonstrated their title credentials with a dominant display, maintaining their impressive unbeaten run across all competitions.

Despite missing several key players through injury, the Gunners proved far superior to their visitors.

Speaking exclusively with GB News via BetMGM, Monreal credited the Gunners coach and former teammate for his "winning mentality."

He said: "Arsenal, at this moment, have a winning mentality because Mikel Arteta is a winner.

"When you see Arsenal playing, you can feel it. They are always trying to get the three points.

"They are always trying to be better than their opponents. I think this kind of mentality is thanks to Mikel.

During Arsenal’s mid‑2010s era, the partnership between midfielder Mikel Arteta and full-back Nacho Monreal became a subtle but significant thread in the club’s push for trophies.

Their overlapping tenure, from 2013 to 2016, coincided with one of Arsene Wenger’s last trophy-winning periods and they contributed to several key moments for the Gunners.

During their time as players, Arteta publicly praised Monreal’s "consistent, focused, determined" performances, noting his importance to squad balance.

In his Arsenal career, he played 187 matches, scoring seven goals and contributing 13 assists, while keeping 64 clean sheets.

Speaking on the form of his former club, Monreal said: "At this moment, they are playing so good. They are at the top of the Premier League. They are in a good position in the Champions League."

"You can feel that the atmosphere is really good between the players. They are always joking. You never see a fight. So that's a good sign."

Among their notable matches together, the 2014 FA Cup Final at Wembley stands out, where both players were part of the squad that came from behind to beat Hull City 3-2.

They also contributed to the 2014 Community Shield victory, a convincing 3-0 win over Manchester City at Wembley, and the 2015 FA Cup Final, in which Monreal played a key role in the buildup to Alexis Sánchez’s opening goal in a dominant 4–0 win over Aston Villa.

Later that year, Arsenal edged Chelsea 1-0 to secure the 2015 Community Shield, adding another trophy to their shared collection.

During the period when both were at Arsenal, the club won the FA Cup in 2013-14, ending a long trophy drought, and again in 2014‑15, achieving back-to-back cup triumphs.

The team also lifted the FA Community Shield in 2014 and 2015.

Although Arteta retired in 2016 and Monreal stayed on for a few more years, their shared years contributed to a stabilised, trophy-winning core.

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