Rooney: This season could be 'now or never' for Mikel Arteta

Wayne Rooney said this season could be “now or never” for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after the club's 1-0 defeat to Liverpool, adding that the Spaniard will be expected to deliver major silverware.

Arsenal lost at Anfield on Sunday when Dominik Szoboszlai scored a stunning free-kick. Asked on The Wayne Rooney Show whether it was "now or never" for Arteta, Rooney said: "Maybe not for Arsenal, but I think for Arteta, possibly. I think they've allowed him to bring a lot of players in, spend a lot of money. I imagine the board and certainly the fans will be expecting him to win the league. So I think it could be a big year for him."

Rooney, the former England and Manchester United forward, said Liverpool remain the favourites for the Premier League title, pointing to their recent success. "[Liverpool] are a very good team," he said. "They've got the know-how and the knowledge of winning the league twice over the last few years. It's a sign of a good team when you're winning games."

The former England captain also criticised Arsenal's approach at Anfield, saying the team should have been braver rather than setting up to avoid defeat. "If they were just a little bit braver," Rooney added, "and..." He argued that a more proactive stance might have changed the outcome against a Liverpool side he described as experienced in winning tight contests.

Arteta, who has been Arsenal's manager since December 2019, has overseen a period of heavy investment and a rebuild of the squad. The club's transfer activity and increasing expectations from supporters and the board have intensified scrutiny on his record, with the desire for a first Premier League title since 2004 a recurrent theme in discussions about his future.

Sunday's result maintained Liverpool's reputation as title contenders while reinforcing the pressure on Arteta to convert Arsenal's spending and squad development into trophies. Arsenal remain in contention across the season's competitions, but Rooney's comments underline the prevailing narrative that success this year will be used to judge Arteta's progress at the north London club.