Jose Mourinho’s cold-blooded jibe from 2007 appears to still resonate even today with ’s side having suffered another blow in their bid to finally grasp the title.

It’s been for the Gunners playing second fiddle to in an attempt to claim a top-flight crown – which has eluded them for two decades now. And on Saturday – though it is very early doors – has .

Last season under Arteta saw Arsenal . But, despite being led by young superstars such as and William Saliba and the likes of big-money signing and club captain Martin Odegaard – having significantly bolstered their squad in recent years – it has continued to be so near yet so far.

Former , and boss Mourinho's brutal aged comment, which essentially stated that the club has a talented young squad but simply cannot lift a league title, has resurfaced on social media. And fans have been quick to point out that this admission still looks to be relevant 17 years on.

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“They have great boys. I wouldn’t be sad if a club gives me three, four, five years and tells me you don’t need to win – you can lose Premiership after Premiership, and you have three, four, five seasons to build. I wouldn’t be sad,” Mourinho stated in a 2007 interview, digging out old rival and the time the Gunners gave him without moving on to a new manager.

When prompted by the reporter that the Gunners had won some titles under Wenger, Mourinho ruthlessly clapped back: “Not since I arrived. Since we are in Chelsea, they lost the Premierships, they lost with us the Charity Shield, they lost with us the Carling [League] Cup.

“I don’t think they are winning a lot. But, [they are] absolutely brilliant young boys. The manager is top, the team has a great future. But they didn’t win.”

Though Mourinho’s statement did have one major inaccuracy, the fact that lifted the 2005 trophy a year after Mourinho touched down in London, his point remained that the Gunners could not mount a bonafide assault on the league title during his tenure, despite having such a young and talented squad.

Arteta’s time at the helm has similarly seen him claim just one piece of silverware - an FA Cup - and fans have been quick to point out that, with his side already looking relatively ropey this term and lacking discipline, the 'Special One’s' evaluation still stands.

“17 years later, and this still applies today,” one fan commented, whilst another took a more stone-tongued stance: “Arsenal will forever be known as the team that always comes close but doesn't lift the trophy every season. Don't they get tired?”

Though, unlike some of the Arsenal teams of the decade, Arteta’s current side does have a clear direction and has come on leaps and bounds since the Spaniard arrived.

Other fans took a different approach, believing that the club's 20-year league title drought is much closer to being broken than it has been in the past, with one admitting: “He [Mourinho] isn’t wrong, but at least they are competing.”

Another added a hopeful comment: “People forget that at that time, Arsenal had to become a selling club to finance the new stadium and training centre. They paid it themselves they have always been successful until the last 20 years. They will return to winning ways.”

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