Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta have slipped into a fiery media row following an ill-tempered 2-2 draw in the Premier League on matchday seven.
The pair, who worked together in City’s dugout at Etihad, may be nearing breaking points in both their professional and personal relationship following recent media blast.
It all started when Arsenal nearly pulled off what would have been an upset for the ages at Etihad during the Premier League matchday seven clash.
Known for their toe-to-toe challenge for the Premier League title in the past two seasons, the match bore the scars of the recent rivalry. It was dotted with heated exchanges between the players, including touchline histrionics by the two managers.
Erling Haaland fired the home side into the lead early in the second half. A few minutes later, Riccardo Calafiori nailed home an equalizer, scoring an absolute pearler from outside the box.
Arsenal completed a first-half comeback courtesy of Gabriel Magalhaes’ header from Saka’s corner-kick.
However, the celebrations after Gabriel Magalhaes’ goal was short-lived when Leandro Trossard was sent off deep into first-half added time.
Down to 10 men, the Gunners adopted a backs-to-the-wall approach in the second half, doing everything possible to defend the goal. The tactics nearly worked out but they were finally undone by a last-minute strike by City’s substitute John Stones.
The two sides shared spoils but tempers flared between the players after the final whistle. Man City players blasted Arsenal for using ‘dark arts’ by attempting to delay play, deliberately injuring Rodri, and scoring two debatable goals.
Mikel Arteta reacts to ‘dark arts’ criticism
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta seemed to had lost his bearings following City’s claims that his team deployed ‘dark arts’ in the game.
When asked about the criticism, he said, ‘no comment,’ but aimed indictive remarks on the opponents for ‘all the information’ he knows about the team having worked there.
“I have been there for four years and I have all the information. So I know. Believe me,” he said.
Arteta’s cryptic reply which seems to question Man City in some way did not sit well with his former boss and City manager Pep Guardiola. Reacting to the cryptic comment, Guardiola challenged the 46-year-old to reveal what he knows about Manchester City.
The six-time Premier League champion added that if the former assistant boss is referring to the 115 Premier League changes, he should come forward to reveal them.
“Next time he has to be more clear about exactly what he means. We know exactly what happened here in those four years,” Guardiola said.
“It could be about the 115 charges (for allegedly breaking Premier League financial rules). Maybe he has information on that, or maybe he has something (else), I don’t know?
“With the good relations I have with him, he can answer exactly what he means when he says he was here.”
Mikel Arteta on his relationship with Pep Guardiola
The ongoing row between the two managers has already stirred speculations on possible cracks to their personal and professional relationship. However, Arteta made it clear in his Leicester City pre-match press conference that he has nothing personal against Guardiola.
According to him, he will not let differences and sports issues between the two teams mar his relationship with the former boss whom he admires and respects a lot.
“I love him, I respect him, I admire him and I admire his team and everything that he does.
“This is sport. One thing is our profession, and another is our personal relationship.
“If our relationship was damaged because one draws and the other one wins or the number of times that they’ve beaten us, I would not talk to him anymore.
“So that’s not our relationship, especially the relationship that I consider both of us to have. In sport it will never get in my way, a personal relationship, that’s for sure.”
Pep Guardiola references Gabriel Jesus’ war claim after 2-2 draw
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola seems not to back down from the row. Speaking before Manchester City’s match with Newcastle United, the City boss said he and the team won’t blink and are ready to fight back when provoked.
To drive home his assertion, Guardiola said Gabriel Jesus make references to war after the match.
“You want a war? Now we war”.
“Gabriel said it perfectly after the match. He said: this is a war, we have here to provoke the opponent, to push them.
at the end, what can you do? So, we have to, okay, you provoke me, okay, I’m there!.
Arteta worked with Pep Guardiola from 2015 to 2019 as assistant manager before becoming Arsenal manager.
In the past two seasons, the 46-year-old has led Arsenal to challenge the former boss for the Premier League title. This has led to the building rivalry between the two managers.
Meanwhile, they are expected to lead the race for the Premier League title again this season with Guardiola aiming for his seventh title.
