Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has had his say on the comparisons made between himself and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.

Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta know each other well. Prior to taking on the Arsenal job in December 2019, Arteta served as Guardiola’s assistant at the Etihad Stadium. The coaching compatriots worked closely together and shared a great period of success.

It is inevitable that comparisons would be drawn between the pair as managers. Tactically, there are similarities between how Arsenal and Manchester City play. For instance, both sides have made use of technically-gifted inverted full-backs to bolster the midfield zone.

Arteta and Guardiola both express themselves on the touchline in a similar way. They are both animated figures, who bark instructions and gesticulate wildly throughout every match.

Guardiola has now given his verdict on the the comparisons, after being asked if Arteta is something of a ‘mini-me’. As quoted by The Mirror, the former Barcelona boss said, “no, not at all. I dress better. I am more elegant. My wife gives me the perfect outfit all the time! I see zero characteristics in him from me. His father and mother are different! All the success he has belongs to Mikel and his people at Arsenal – it’s down to them, not me, definitely.”

“People say ‘ah yes, he was with Pep and learnt a lot.’ But I learnt a lot from him as well. People think it is always that way, how much I taught him. But he teaches me too and I learnt well.”

Guardiola and Arteta face off again

Arteta and Guardiola will battle for managerial supremacy once again on Sunday afternoon, when Arsenal are set to host Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have a dreadful recent head-to-head record in this fixture, but will still believe that they can pull off a triumphant result and leapfrog their opponents in the Premier League table as a consequence. 

Victory on Sunday would give the north London club a huge confidence boost, and could even be an early indication of who might win the title this season, after Manchester City pipped Arsenal to it last time out.

It would also surely mean a lot to Arteta for him to get one over on his old mentor. Guardiola may well have learned a lot from Arteta, but he is still very much the senior figure. Arteta will be desperate to teach him another lesson this afternoon.

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