Feature

Every time Arteta didn't celebrate against Arsenal at Man City

By Ashley Hover 7 Feb 2023

Pep Guardiola says Mikel Arteta's love for the Gunners was clear when they worked together

We’ve all seen players refuse to celebrate goals against their former club, but what about managers?

Well, for Mikel Arteta, his love for Arsenal has stuck with him past his playing career and into his coaching one.

When Arteta was assistant coach to Pep Guardiola at Man City, his connection to the club he now manages was so great that he could not bring himself to enjoy any moment City scored against Arsenal.

Here, you can see for yourself below.

“He was a supporter of Arsenal, he was captain and loved that club,” Guardiola explains.

“I remember that when we were together here and we scored a lot of goals, he jumped and celebrated except [against] one team.

“One team, every time I jumped and celebrated and came back he was sitting there: it was Arsenal. I said, 'That guy likes Arsenal'."

Arteta was asked about it this week: "Just for respect, because of the feeling I had for the club," he tells Arsenal's official website. "If I had scored as a player, I would have done something similar."

ARS

1-3

MCI

Guardiola says it was always Arteta’s “dream” to manage Arsenal, who host Man City tonight in one of the biggest matches in recent Premier League history.

If Man City win they will knock Arsenal off top spot for the first time since August, while a Gunners victory would open up a six-point gap with a match in hand.

Position Pos	Club	Played Pl	GD	Points Pts
1	Manchester City MCI	38	+61	89
2	Arsenal ARS	38	+45	84

But for Arsenal to claim victory, history will have to be made.

Arteta has never beaten Man City as a Premier League manager, the only PL team he has failed to get the better of in his coaching career. Guardiola has won on all five occasions they have met. Master 5-0 Apprentice.

“It made me a better person, a better coach for sure and you use those experiences for your own career after,” Arteta says about learning under Guardiola.

“I was studying a lot. It was an incredible experience on a personal and professional level, to be with him and all the coaching staff and the players.”

Guardiola is keen to flip the script. The four-time Premier League winner says Arteta isn’t aware just how much he helped Guardiola himself grow as a manager.

“I’m so satisfied about his success,” Guardiola explains. “Still he doesn’t know how much me, I learn, being alongside to him in this two years, two and a half when we were together.

"When he started in Arsenal there was a tough period, because the results didn’t come, anyone of us had no doubts if Arsenal could rely on him."

'It's not me v Pep'

For Arteta, tonight is not about him versus Guardiola but instead pitting his young team against a side whose level he wants to reach.

"It’s for the team, the club and where we are. For me, it is not about beating one manager, it is about beating the next opponent.

“For us, the challenge is to get to that level and we need to use that challenge and that energy to say, 'This is where we want to be.’ That is the level, and we are heading towards it."