Arteta sympathises with City after
MIKEL Arteta insisted he wants the best for Manchester City, even though Arsenal could benefit from his former club’s twoyear ban from European competition.
Arteta’s side moved up to 10th in the Premier League standings yesterday — six points behind fifth-placed Tottenham — after goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nicolas Pepe, Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette secured a 4-0 home win over Newcastle to end the Gunners’ run of four straight topflight draws.
Fifth place could now offer a Champions League place following City’s Uefa ban for breaching Financial Fair Play rules, although it is yet to be officially confirmed and the champions are appealing.
Asked what he thought about his side potentially benefiting from the ruling, Arteta — who served as City boss Pep Guardiola’s assistant from 2016 until taking the Arsenal job almost two months ago — said: “I don’t think about it. I just want the best for Manchester City, I really do.
“That is the way I feel, but now I have to do the very best for Arsenal to maximise everything we have here to bring this club as high as possible again.”
The Spaniard said he had been in contact with Guardiola, adding: “The admiration and love I have for Pep and his staff and the players, I just want the best for them.
“I know how hard they work and hopefully a positive thing might come for them.”
He continued: “My first reaction was I was shocked. I got in contact with Pep and the people at the club I know because I know they are suffering.”
Arsenal’s victory over the Magpieswastheirsecondwinof 2020, and Arteta urged his side to take confidence from the result.
He said: “It was a satisfying win, we talked about putting draws into wins and those margins we can improve to translate into more points.