Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed his admiration for Pep Guardiola while also admitting his sentiments will not get in his way of charging his troops to victory when Arsenal visit Manchester City in a crucial Premier League clash on Sunday.
The Gunners boss also stated he would want his side to enjoy the moment in the game against a City side, whom he insists have raised the bar in world football.
Arteta, who was Guardiola’s assistant at City before becoming Arsenal boss in 2019, spoke highly of his relationship with the former Barcelona manager while also citing that sitting in opposite dugouts would alter their relationship for 90 minutes.
Arteta was an assistant under Guardiola at City before taking the managerial reins at Arsenal, and the two Spaniards’ friendship goes back to their days as players. Sitting in opposing dugouts, however, has meant a change in their relationship.
“It has to change, [but]my admiration for him certainly not,” Arteta said of Guardiola in his pre-match press conference.
“My opinion is he is the best coach in the world by a mile and he’s one of the nicest people I have met in football.
“But our roles at the moment are where they are and it has to adapt to the situation. Probably I would prefer to [beat] somebody else that I don’t have those feelings [of friendship], but it is not a choice.
“We both want to win. We know each other very well and I will prepare the game to win it.”
Triumph at the Etihad will see Arsenal end a nine-year winless run at the home of the defending champions and boost their hopes of claiming the title.
The North London outfit have been in fine form, winning their last eight games on the bounce and scoring 33 goals.
However, Arteta maintains that his charges have to keep up with City, encouraging them to “enjoy the moment” on Sunday evening.
“We’ve done a lot already to be in the position that we are and now we have to embrace and enjoy the moment and go for it,” Arteta told reporters.
“City have raised the bar in this league, I think in football in general, to a level that hadn’t been seen before.
“And that’s the beauty of the sport, that makes you better, that challenges you more and you have to keep up with that pace. And that’s what we are trying to do.”
In what is looking like a title race for the ages, with 10 games to go, Arsenal sit top of the standings on goals difference as they have amassed an equal 64 points with second placed Liverpool and Man City sit third with 63 points.
