Mikel Arteta has been criticised over his clash with Pedro Porro during Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Tottenham on Thursday.
Spurs sealed their win in Hong Kong through Pape Matar Sarr’s strike close to the halfway line on the stroke of half time after David Raya was caught off his line.
Arteta, meanwhile, was involved in a brief spat with Porro on the touchline after the Arsenal manager had moved out of his technical area.
Porro was attempting to but Arteta ignored the Spurs right-back and continued to shout instructions to his players on the pitch.
The Spaniard then pushed Arteta and gestured for the Arsenal manager to stand inside his technical area before the fourth official stepped in to diffuse the situation.
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Footage of the incident went viral on social media and beIN Sports presenter, Richard Keys, who has repeatedly criticised Arteta’s tendency to venture outside of his technical area during Premier League games, hit out at the Arsenal manager for his conduct.
‘Well done Pedro Porro,’ Keys posted on X.
‘For how long have I been on Arteta’s case? If his team is prepared properly and he trusts them there’s no need for the nonsense on the touch line. Stay in your box man.’
Despite his side’s defeat to their north London rivals, Arteta believe Arsenal are ‘ahead’ in their preparations ahead of their Premier League opener against Manchester United on August 17.
‘I’m very positive for everything that I’ve seen in the last 10 days, it gives me a lot of encouragement,’ Arteta said.
‘We are ahead of what I was expecting in many areas, even though tonight’s result leaves you a taste that I think is going to be very positive as well, to realise the margins that winning or winning have to be controlled as well and again, we go again.
‘We’ll start on Monday again with two great games at the Emirates to finalise the preparations and be ready for Old Trafford.’
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