Guardiola heaps praise on Mikel Arteta following Man City’s win over Arsenal: ‘He knows everything about football’

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was keen to single Mikel Arteta out for praise this evening, on the back of his side’s meeting with Arsenal.

Sterling decides it

The Sky Blues made the trip to the Emirates a short time ago, for their latest Premier League outing.

City of course headed into proceedings amid a historic spell of recent form, which had remarkably seen Guardiola and co. rattle off 17 straight victories across all competitions.

And, when all was said and done in north London this evening, the Citizens’ exceptional run only continued.

A solitary goal – netted by Raheem Sterling – proved all that was required to see off a spirited Arsenal side.

The game’s telling moment arrived inside the opening 120 seconds, when, after picking the ball up on the right, Riyad Mahrez cut inside, to pick out Sterling for a pinpoint header beyond Bernd Leno:

🎙 | “It’s a brutal start from Manchester City!”

Raheem Sterling nods in the opener after less than 2 minutes – what a start! ⏰

📺 Watch on Sky Sports PL
📱 Follow #ARSMCI here: https://t.co/EbUsG6S1Mk
📲 Download the @SkySports app! pic.twitter.com/7JCLBEuXp4

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 21, 2021

City now remain a full 10 points clear atop the Premier League table, inching ever-closer to wrestling their crown back from current champions Liverpool.

‘He is so good’

As outlined above, however, on a day when his side continued to etch their name further into the history books of English football, speaking post-match, Pep Guardiola was keen to shine the spotlight on his opposite number at the Emirates.

The City boss of course worked alongside Mikel Arteta at the Etihad, before his fellow countryman departed for the first managerial job of his career.

In turn, speaking to Sky Sports on the back of the action coming to a close in north London, Guardiola was asked whether Arteta’s prior knowledge of his talents and tactics may have played a role in Arsenal limiting the Citizens to only a handful of presentable opportunities this afternoon.

The former Barcelona manager, however, was quick to shut down any such suggestions, instead simply highlighting Arteta’s immense knowledge of the game:

‘Mikel knows everything, he is so good.’

‘It’s not because he’s my friend, or because today I beat him.’

‘I know what he plans. I know what he works. He’s so clever.’

‘I learn a lot watching his teams and today I learned something that I can use in the future. So it’s not because we were together (in Manchester).’

‘He knows everything about football.’

🗣”Mikel knows everything, he is so good, he is so clever, I learn a lot watching his teams, he knows everything about football”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is full of praise of old colleague Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal team pic.twitter.com/VuIX0JL0Nf

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) February 21, 2021

Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney provides fitness update after return to league action/Arteta confirms Holding will miss ‘a few days’

Video: Arsenal’s Matteo Guendouzi in costly mistake as Hertha dragged ever-closer to relegation zone

This article was edited by Josh Barker.

Source: 101greatgoals.com