Title: Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta Assures His Friendship with Pep Guardiola Remains Unaffected Amid Ongoing Title Rivalry

Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta has spoken out to alleviate concerns about his relationship with Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola, amidst an ongoing title rivalry between the two clubs. Despite intense competition on the pitch, Arteta insists that their friendship remains strong and unblemished.

The drama unfolded following a thrilling 2-2 draw between the two teams at the Etihad last Sunday. Several City players publicly criticized Arteta’s tactics, which they deemed too defensive-minded. However, Arsenal’s strategy seemed to work, as they sat deep and allowed Manchester City to dominate possession, only to strike late and earn a valuable point.

Arteta, who previously worked under Guardiola at Manchester City before taking the reins at Arsenal in 2019, spoke about their relationship during a press conference. “I love him, I respect him, I admire him and I admire his team and everything that he does,” he said. “This is sport. One thing is our profession, another is our personal relationship.”

Arteta emphasized that their professional relationship would never come into question due to the on-pitch rivalry. “If our relationship was damaged because one draws and the other one wins or the amount of times that they’ve beaten us, I would not talk to him anymore,” he stated. “So that’s not our relationship, especially the relationship that I consider both of us have. In sport, it will never get in my way, a personal relationship, that’s for sure.”

As Arsenal and Manchester City continue their pursuit of the Premier League title, Arteta’s comments are likely to come as a relief to both sets of fans. While the competition between the two teams will undoubtedly remain intense, Arteta’s reassurances about his friendship with Guardiola will provide some comfort.