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Arteta: Arsenal's challenge is to reach Man City's level

7 Feb 2023

Gunners manager praises his former club ahead of Wednesday's top-of-the-table showdown

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal’s challenge is to reach the level of his former club Manchester City as the Premier League’s top two teams go head-to-head.

ARS

1-3

MCI

While the Gunners have a three-point lead in this season’s title race, Arteta knows he and his players are facing a side who have delivered consistent success, lifting the trophy in four of the last five seasons.

"What they have done in the last six years, they absolutely merit it," said the Spaniard. "They merit it on the pitch, the way they play, the way they have competed, the way they have gone through difficulties, and for us the challenge is to get to that level.

"We need to use that challenge and that energy to [say], 'This is where we want to be. This is the level and we’re heading towards it'.

"If you tell me at the start of the season [that we would be top now] probably I would doubt. I would hope but I would be doubtful. But this is where we are. We earn it and now we have to move every single day to try to improve what we do."

Arteta has been part of City’s success, having spent three-and-a-half years as Pep Guardiola's assistant before taking charge of Arsenal, and he learned a lot during that time.

"I was studying a lot but I was working there and it was an incredible experience in a personal and professional level, to be with him and the staff and all the players that were there at the time," said Arteta.

"Like every experience, it just adds. It made me a better person, a better coach for sure and you use those experiences for your own career after."