Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has affirmed that his relationship with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola remains intact despite a heated match between their teams last weekend. The Premier League clash, which ended in a 2-2 draw, saw tensions rise as Arsenal, down to 10 men, employed tactical fouls and time-wasting strategies to disrupt City’s dominance in possession.
City’s John Stones scored a last-minute equalizer in stoppage time, helping the champions salvage a draw at the Etihad Stadium. Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard was sent off just before halftime, putting his side at a numerical disadvantage. Despite City’s control of the game, they struggled to break down Arsenal’s defense in the second half, which led Stones and teammate Bernardo Silva to accuse Arsenal of using "dark arts" tactics.
Arteta, who served as Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City before taking the Arsenal job, made it clear that the incidents during the match have not affected his personal relationship with Guardiola. “I love him, I respect him and I admire him, his team, and everything that he does,” said Arteta on Friday, ahead of Arsenal's next Premier League fixture against Leicester City. “This is a sport -- one thing is our profession and the other is our personal relationship.”
Arteta downplayed the idea that the intense nature of top-level competition could harm friendships between managers. “It’s quite simple -- don’t take it personally, it’s part of our job,” he explained, adding that his personal relationships with people at Manchester City are important to him. "That relationship, I really care about. It’s the same with a lot of people in their staff and players that I spent some very important years of my life with."
Currently unbeaten, Arsenal sit fourth in the Premier League table, just two points behind Manchester City, who lead the standings after five games. Looking ahead to next week, Arsenal will face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. However, Arteta expressed uncertainty about the availability of goalkeeper David Raya, who picked up an injury in the match against City. "We have to wait 24 hours to see if he's looking good or not that good," he commented.
Arteta’s Arsenal will look to continue their strong start to the season as they prepare to face Leicester City in their next domestic league fixture.
