Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta remain firm friends (Picture: Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola says he has exchanged texts with Mikel Arteta since Sunday’s memorable clash between Manchester City and Arsenal, with their good relationship still firmly intact.
The 2-2 draw at the Etihad was a feisty affair, with a red card for Leandro Trossard, an injury-time equaliser from John Stones and Erling Haaland clashing with a number of Arsenal players before and after the final whistle.
The rivalry has developed into a great spectacle, with the two best teams in the division now with no shortage of needle when they meet.
The two managers are good friends, though, with the Spaniards working together at City before Arteta left to take over at Arsenal.
Their players may not get on so well these days, but the bosses are not about to fall out, despite the spicy contest at the Etihad.
Manchester City returned to action very shortly after Sunday’s draw, beating Watford 2-1 in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night and Guardiola confirmed he has already texted with Arteta with their friendship unaffected by any – arguably cynical – tactics from the Gunners.
‘The opponents can play how they want to, it’s up to us to handle them,’ said Guardiola. ‘With Mikel, we texted each other. The relationship, it doesn’t change.
Mikel Arteta so nearly pulled off a huge win at the Etihad (Picture: Getty Images)
‘If they decide to play in that way, it’s more than perfect. It’s fine. I wasn’t able to do that, but they were brilliant. It’s about us, how we can break them down and we did it really well in many things.
‘It’s not the first time in eight years here. Do you know how many times we’ve played against teams that play that way? Millions, millions. It’s about us, that’s why it’s a challenge for us.’
Arteta spoke of his relationship with Guardiola earlier this year, admitting it had changed from when they worked together, but he is no less fond of his compatriot.
‘It has to change, (but) my admiration for him certainly not,’ Arteta said in March.’My opinion is he is the best coach in the world by a mile and he’s one of the nicest people I have met in football.
‘But our roles at the moment are where they are and it has to adapt to the situation. Probably I would prefer to (beat) somebody else that I don’t have those feelings (of friendship), but it is not a choice. We both want to win. We know each other very well and I will prepare the game to win it.’
Matheus Nunes scored Man City’s second against Watford (Picture: Getty Images)
Guardiola made a string of changes to his team on Tuesday night, with only Kyle Walker and Jeremey Doku starting against City and Watford.
‘The schedule is the schedule, we cannot handle it anyway,’ he said. ‘Today for [James] McAtee, Matheus [Nunes], Jack [Grealish], Phil [Foden], who didn’t play, the young lad, 16 years old, it’s perfect. That’s why it’s a good competition, otherwise we wouldn’t win four in a row.
‘We play to go through. We never throw a competition. Never. But we played 50 hours ago. I’m not going to [take] a risk with the Premier League and the Champions League in this competition.’
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