Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola backs struggling Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and insists there are ‘no doubts’ his former assistant is still best man to take Gunners forward
- Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta is struggling after a five-match winless run in the league
- Arteta was assistant manager at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola 2016-19
- And Guardiola has backed his compatriot to turn things around at the Emirates
Pep Guardiola backed his former assistant manager Mikel Arteta to turn things around at struggling Arsenal.
Arteta won two Premier Leagues, an FA Cup and two League Cup titles as Guardiola’s No 2 at Manchester City but left to become Arsenal boss in December 2019.
The Gunners are currently 15th in the Premier League and lie just five points off the relegation zone after losing their last three games, including a limp 2-0 defeat to Tottenham in the north London derby.
Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta is under pressure after a five-game winless run in the Premier League
But City boss Guardiola said Arteta needed time to turn things around at the Emirates and was the right man for the rebuilding job.
He said: ‘Arsenal doesn’t have a manager to lead this club in the next years better than him. I don’t have to give my support, because he has it and knows he has it.
‘He is one of the best managers I ever worked with, of course, and seen directly – for his personality, his commitment, his love for his club. Without his love for his club, he still would be here.
Arteta had a highly successful three years as Manchester City assistant manager 2016-2019
The Spaniard left City to become Arsenal boss in December 2019 but his side are in poor form
‘I’m pretty sure he will turn it over and do it like everyone expects. Sometimes when a club comes from not a good period, it needs time. I know in this world, (people think) it doesn’t need time.
‘If I was part of the board at Arsenal, I would not have any doubts about his quality and capacity to put Arsenal in the place that Arsenal deserves to be’.
Granit Xhaka was sent off for a petulant grab around the neck of Ashley Westwood, while captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his first career own goal in a 1-0 defeat to fellow strugglers Burnley on Monday.
Granit Xhaka was sent off for a neck grab on Ashley Westwood against Burnley in a 1-0 defeat
Aubameyang has only scored twice in the Premier League this season after signing a lucrative new three-year contract in September, epitomising the club’s goalscoring woes.
Arsenal have only scored 10 Premier League goals in 12 matches, their lowest number at this point in a top-flight campaign in 39 years.
Arteta’s side host high-flying fourth-placed Southampton on Wednesday evening with the chance to end their five-match winless run in the league.
Gunners captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (right) scored an own goal against the Clarets
