ART: I LEARNT BEING TOP FROM PEP
MIKEL ARTETA’S time as Pep Guardiola’s right-hand man at Manchester City means he is well versed in handling life at the top of the table.
The 40-year-old spent three years at the Etihad alongside Guardiola and, in that time, City won two Premier League titles.
So, while Arsenal have had to settle for finishing eighth, twice, and fifth under the Spaniard, who is in his first job in frontline management, their lofty position this time out is not uncharted territory for their boss.
Arteta said: “I learned a lot about being at the top from Pep.
“The standards that are set at the club are not only to win, but to win in a certain way every three days, and be extremely demanding and critical and at the same time supportive, so it’s a good mixture.
“It was incredible to be part of that team and the evolution and how that team was built. I will always be grateful.” The managers with the top two teams in the country are still close.
And Arteta added: “Obviously, we are not going to be talking about things related to our teams, but we can speak about football as we did in the past.”
What has been impressive about Arsenal’s start is that they are doing it in a season when domestic and European fixtures are coming thick and fast to accommodate the first winter World Cup. And, while there is not too much time to wind down in between matches, Arteta has identified a couple of very good ways to do it.
He said: “First of all, I try to sleep well. Rest is really important.
“I try to look after my diet as much as I can. I don’t exercise as much as I should do, I have to be very critical of myself in that sense.
“And then I have to keep a clear mind and to do that, spending time with my loved ones is something that helps, my wife, my children.”