Mikel Arteta has replied to Pep Guardiola following the Manchester City manager’s intense press conference about Arsenal.
The teams played out a 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium last Sunday, with the game featuring several contentious incidents.
Arsenal’s strategy was closely examined, as some criticized the Gunners for their approach after being reduced to 10 men when Leandro Trossard was…Continue Reading
sent off.
City midfielder Bernardo Silva commented post-match that only one team came to the Etihad to play football, despite Manchester City trailing 2-1 to Arsenal at halftime.
When he was asked to respond to those comments in his pre-Leicester press conference on Friday, Arteta said: “No comment. I have been there before. “I was there for four years – I have all the information. So I know. Believe me.”
Guardiola, though, wasn’t impressed with that statement, and said in his own press conference before Man City’s 1-1 draw at Newcastle: “Next time, Mikel has to be clear exactly what he means by, he’s been here four years and he knows exactly what happens here.
“It can be related to all the processes now, the charges. Maybe it’s about that, the information about that.
“I have a good relation with him. Hopefully he can exactly what he means when he says he’s here and he knows what happens here.”
The back-and-forth continued after Arsenal defeated Leicester 4-2 at the Emirates, with Arteta again offered a right of reply.
And he said: “When I say I know stuff about Man City, I meant I know how hard they work. This is what I mean.
“I can repeat it very clear – I love Pep, I admire Pep, I respect him so fondly for everything he does for me. I consider him a friend.”