Cesc Fabregas, who is also a former Arsenal captain, has urged the Gunners to maintain their cool if they are to secure the Premier League title.
Arsenal beat hard-fighting Brighton 4-2 on Saturday to open a 7-point lead over second-placed Manchester City.
However, Fabregas said the critics tried to get the Gunners boss sacked in 2021 but reminded Arsenal they ‘haven’t won anything yet’.
“If we had listened to certain people at a time when Arsenal finished eighth and not doing that well, then maybe Mikel wouldn’t be there,” Fabregas told The Times.
“But they gave him the time that was needed to develop his own style, his own players coming in, making his own thing.
“Mikel was my team-mate and he helped me a lot when I was very young, he knows the game properly. They haven’t won anything yet, but they are definitely going in the right way.”