Mikel Arteta admits Pep Guardiola is the ‘best manager in the world by a mile’ before Arsenal’s all-important match against Manchester City

Mikel Arteta felt the need to praise his former boss and Man City manager Pep Guardiola ahead of the 'most' important game of their respective seasons.

Mikel Arteta admits Pep Guardiola is the ‘best manager in the world by a mile’ before Arsenal’s all-important match against Manchester City

Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola (Via IMAGO)

This race for this year’s Premier League title is between Manchester City, the City boss’s former student and Jurgen Klopp. While Arsenal lead the race with 64 points, Liverpool and Manchester City are close behind with 64 and 63 points respectively. With just ten more games left to go, every game will prove to be crucial in the title race.

In what many consider to be the game that decides the fate of both City and Arsenal, the defending champions prepare to host the table toppers. The Etihad will be witness to an exhilarating match-up between the two sides as the master tactician gets ready to face his former student. While tensions are sky-high ahead of the clash, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta showered praise on Pep Guardiola, his former boss and City head coach.

He's (Pep) the best manager in the World by a mile. He's someone I loved working with him and it will stay with me forever.
Mikel Arteta in a press conference ahead of the visit to the Etihad

Arteta also pointed to his ‘incredible’ work ethic, his intelligence and the brilliant way in which the Spaniard manages his team. The Arsenal boss couldn’t help but praise Pep for all that he does behind the scenes.

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Mikel Arteta claims that last season’s ‘heartbreak’ is motivation to beat Man City

Roughly a year ago, Arsenal were in pole position to lift the Premier League title. However, a sequence of three draws and a 4-1 loss to City at the Etihad effectively ended his team’s title hopes. However, one year later, Arsenal find themselves in a similar position, and despite not drawing many games before the clash on Sunday, they are once again, set to take on City.

Erling Haaland, Bernardo Silva & Kevin De Bruyne
Will Arsenal finally get the better of City and get their hands on the coveted Premier League trophy? (Via X/@ManCityHub)

Arteta recalled last season’s painful defeat and said that he has no plans to stage a replay of the same. He said that even though Pep’s men have taken the level of their game to a degree never seen before, his boys will try to close the ‘gap’ and be better than them. While City are a point behind them this time around, a win for them would prove to be disastrous to Arsenal’s hopes of lifting the all-elusive title.

Liverpool on the other hand, are tied on points (64) with Arsenal, and a loss to Manchester City will likely benefit the Reds the most. While Arteta hasn’t reserved any praise for the City boss, fans can expect one of the most heavily contested fixtures this season. With their title hopes on the line, it is nearly impossible to predict who will come out on top on Sunday.

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