EPL: Mikel Arteta Applauds Manchester City

Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, has heaped praise on Manchester City, labeling them as the “best team in the world.” Arteta’s comments came following Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.

Arteta, who honed his managerial skills as Pep Guardiola’s assistant manager at Manchester City from July 2016 to December 2019, acknowledged the quality of his former club. Previously, Arsenal had struggled against Manchester City, winning just once in their first ten head-to-head encounters across various competitions since Arteta took charge.

However, this season has seen a shift in fortunes, with Arsenal defeating Manchester City in the Community Shield in August, followed by a 1-0 win at home in the Premier League this weekend. Gabriel Martinelli’s 86th-minute strike secured the victory for Arteta’s side.

These two wins against Manchester City offer a glimmer of hope for Arsenal after a challenging 2022-2023 season. Despite leading the Premier League table for 248 days, the North London club ultimately lost the league title to Guardiola’s team.

Arteta, reflecting on Arsenal’s first league victory against Manchester City since December 2015, expressed his admiration for their opponent, saying, “We have beaten the best team in the world today, by far in my opinion, and we have done it with a huge performance. Going through some difficult moments in the game but at the end, living an incredible experience with our people here.”