Guardiola's 2020 prediction about Mikel Arteta and Arsenal and how it came true
Pep Guardiola knew that Mikel Arteta would transform Arsenal into the title-challenging team they are nowadays long before many others did.
The pair worked closely together at Manchester City, where Arteta was Guardiola's assistant. That was until late 2019 when the Gunners came calling after sacking Unai Emery and entrusted Arteta with the keys to the Emirates. It has since proved to be an inspired decision, but there have been some tough times along the way.
Long before the bulk of the highs and lows of Arteta's Arsenal reign, Guardiola had his say on how his old colleague would fare. Speaking back in March of 2020, the City boss was firm in his stance that better days were ahead of the Gunners.
"I was convinced he would be a manager when the opportunity comes and this was the opportunity for him," Guardiola explained. "His ideas are already in the team, his positional play is getting better. I'm convinced Arsenal will get better."
There was clearly no ill feeling in the wake of Arteta's Etihad exit, with Guardiola admitting the pair still spoke "very often, in the weeks after his departure. "He doesn't need my help. We talk about everything, family, friends, colleagues, how he's settling the team."
Pep Guardiola went back on his word after blocking last-ditch Barcelona transfer
Fast forward to nearly four years into Arteta's Arsenal tenure and he has already run City close for the title once, finishing second in the 2022/23 campaign despite leading for the majority of the way. This time around, he'll be aiming to go one better and end Guardiola's dominance on the biggest prizes.
HAVE YOUR SAY!Will Arsenal finish above City this season? Comment below
Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta are competing for the Premier League title once again (Getty Images)The two teams have already met once this season, with the Gunners recording a rare win over their title rivals in the form of a 1-0 victory at the Emirates. A deflected Gabriel Martinelli strike late on was enough to separate the two teams.
Ahead of that contest, Guardiola spoke well of Arteta once again. This time, he insisted that the success of the Arsenal boss was entirely down to Arteta alone, quashing any suggestion he may have copied some old City tactics.
"All the success he has belongs absolutely to Mikel and his people at Arsenal, not me. People say ‘he was with Pep and learned a lot’. I learned a lot from him.
"People say always I have to teach my assistant coaches; I bring the assistant coaches here to teach me. I am here, the figure in front of the microphone but I learn like the players.
"People believe we teach the players but we learn from them to make the decisions many times. All of the good things about Mikel belong to him, his genetics his mum and dad are giving to him. Not me."
With more than three months of the season already played, it looks as if it will be Arsenal and City battling it out for the league once again, as well as the lingering threat of Liverpool.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
