Context: Ongoing Fallout from Manchester City vs. Arsenal
The rivalry between Manchester City and Arsenal has intensified after their recent clash, with discussions surrounding tactics and perceived “dark arts” continuing to dominate the narrative. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faced questions about the game during a press conference ahead of the Leicester City fixture.
Quotes from Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola:
When asked about Roy Keane’s comments that Arsenal displayed a “small-team mentality” in their approach to the game, Arteta curtly responded:
Arteta: “No.”
Earlier in the week, Arteta made a cryptic statement:
Arteta: “I was there for four years. I have all the information. So I know. Believe me.”
This comment sparked a response from Pep Guardiola, who questioned what Arteta meant:
Guardiola: “Next time he has to be more clear exactly what does it mean. He said he was here four years and we know exactly what happened here, because it can be related in all the process now with 115 charges, maybe it’s about that, he knows information about that maybe. Or maybe he had something like, I don’t know, because really, next time I have to see more clearly exactly what happened.”
Guardiola continued, reflecting on the intensity of the match:
Guardiola: “Gabriel said it perfectly after the match: ‘This is a war, we have here to provoke the opponent, to push them’, and at the end, what can you do? So, we have to, okay, you provoke me, okay, I’m there. Now we war.”
