Manchester City and Arsenal have once again found themselves in the middle of a heated Premier League clash, but this time it wasn’t just on the pitch.
After a tense 2-2 draw, the rivalry between Pep Guardiola and his former apprentice, Mikel Arteta, has taken an unexpected turn, with the City boss demanding more clarity from Arteta.
The match itself was full of drama. Arsenal, clinging to a narrow lead, found themselves in hot water after Leandro Trossard was shown a red card.
To make matters worse for City, key midfielder Rodri picked up a season-ending injury, leaving John Stones to accuse Arsenal of using "dark arts" tactics to frustrate City.
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The drama behind the draw between Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta
Arteta, however, didn’t back down. The former City assistant boldly responded: “I’ve been there [at City] before. I was there for four years. I have all the information, so I know.” Those words clearly didn’t sit well with Guardiola.
Pep fired back, not one to let things slide. “Next time, Mikel has to be more clear,” Guardiola snapped. "He was here for four years and says he knows everything. What does he mean by that? If it’s about the 115 charges [City’s legal issues], then he needs to be more specific. No clouds. Just clarity.”
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Though the war of words has caused a stir, Arteta was quick to calm things down on the personal side. “I love him. I respect him,” Arteta said about Guardiola. “Our relationship is different from what happens on the pitch. We can battle professionally, but personally, I admire him too much for it to get in the way.”
As the two giants prepare for their next Premier League encounters, Arsenal trails Manchester City by just two points. The title race is heating up, but it seems the mind games are already at full speed.
