EPL: Arteta joins 250-game club, ranks fourth in win percentage

Mikel Arteta reached 250 Premier League games as Arsenal manager with a win at Aston Villa, a milestone celebrated by the traveling supporters at Villa Park.

Bukayo Saka scored in the 59th minute to secure a 1-0 victory and maintain Arsenal’s perfect start to the new campaign. The result also extended the club’s run of winning its opening away league match for five consecutive seasons.

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I’m extremely grateful. It starts to be a big number!

Arteta has now recorded 151 wins, 48 draws and 51 losses in charge of Arsenal, giving him a 60.4% win rate. Only Pep Guardiola, Alex Ferguson and Jurgen Klopp rank higher among managers who have overseen at least 250 matches at a single Premier League club. Their win rates are 70.8%, 65.2% and 62.6%, respectively.

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I’m really grateful for all the support, the love that I feel from all of them, and yeah, really great to celebrate with a win.

The occasion carried added weight for Arsenal after last season’s defeat at Villa, which came with the final kick of the game. Arteta called the latest result a squad victory and said the team had improved its finishing in the final third.

“I’m extremely grateful. It starts to be a big number,” Arteta said after the match. “I’m really grateful for all the support, the love that I feel from all of them, and yeah, really great to celebrate with a win.”

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It’s a really tough place to come and win; when we came here last year, we lost with the last kick of the game.

For Aston Villa, the loss prolonged a difficult start. Unai Emery’s team has yet to register a shot on target in the Premier League this season.

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I would define it as a squad victory.