After Arsenal’s 4-2 win over Leicester, Mikel Arteta took the opportunity to diffuse simmering tensions with Manchester City by declaring his love and admiration for Pep Guardiola and his staff.
While the rivalry between the two sides has intensified over the past two years, Sunday’s fiery 2-2 draw at the Etihad seems to have escalated tensions to a new level.
A physical battle on the pitch later turned into a war of words with a trio of City players – Bernardo Silva, Manuel Akanji and John Stones – all criticising the Gunners for wasting time as the visitors tried to cling onto a lead with 10 men.
When Arteta was asked about their comments in Tuesday’s pre-Bolton press conference, the Spaniard hinted the same tactics were employed by City during his time as Guardiola’s assistant.
“No comment,” was Arteta’s initial reaction when asked what he made of their comments. Laughing, he then added: “I’ve been there before, I was there for four years. I have all the information, so I know, believe me.
“If we play such a game and at the end, the discussion is about those topics, we’re are in a great direction, that means we are putting away things that are normally associated with them after games. That’s it.”
When Guardiola was asked about Arteta’s response, he was reluctant to comment without knowing the exact words used by the Arsenal coach. However, he then steered the conversation into uncharted territory by referencing the off-field charges City are currently contesting with the Premier League.
“Next time he has to be more clearly exactly what does it mean,” said Guardiola.
“When he said he was here four years and we know exactly what happened here because it can be related, you know, to all the process now with the 115 charges, maybe it’s about that, he knows information about that or maybe like something I don’t know. Really, next time, he has to be more clear exactly what happened.
He continued: “Next time, hopefully with the good relationship I have with him, this question can be asked and he can say exactly what he means when he said, he was here and ‘I know what happened here’ instead of [leaving] clouds there, be more precise.”
He later rallied his players referencing comments made by Arsenal defender Gabriel who described the 2-2 draw as “a battle, a war”.
“You want a war? Now we war,” said Guardiola. “Gabriel said it perfectly in the press after the match, so this is a war. We have to provoke the opponent, to push them, and at the end, what can you do? You provoke me, OK, I’m there.”
After six days of back and forth, Arteta, clearly frustrated at the way the situation had spiralled out of control, attempted to draw a line under the matter on Saturday night.
He said: “I can repeat it very clear, I love Pep, I have admired him since I was 10 years old. I respect him profoundly I am so grateful for everything he did for me and continues to do with me, I consider him a friend. I love and I respect every member of the staff there because I worked with them for four years, and when I say I know them, it’s I know how hard they work. I haven’t seen a human being work as hard as Pep, and the coaches and everybody in that football club to be consistently winning, and the reason they are there is because they maintain that hunger and this is exactly what I learn and exactly what I mean.
“It cannot be any more clear than that. If you want I can repeat it, if someone wants to damage a relationship that’s not in my hands. That feeling is profound, he knows it, the staff know it. I still maintain today with them, with the board, with the ownership, with everybody and if it not it wouldn’t be genuine and it is.
“If someone wants to play something else for me the sport has to be about that will to win, they have it, I have it, we have it, for sure because we haven’t done it. They have it even if they want it more than anybody else, we have to learn and it has to be inspiring for us and it is for me and that’s what I mean because I have been there. It is remarkable and it’s an incredible achievement because they have that mentality. Hopefully, that is clear.”
The subject will undoubtedly resurface in February when City visit the Emirates, setting the stage for unsettled grudges to be resolved on the pitch.
Yesterday, City dropped two points away at Newcastle and Arsenal capitalised to go level on points with the reigning champions. Both sides are one point behind Liverpool who, under Arne Slot, look a decent bet to challenge for the title.
