Watch Arteta ‘go full Guardiola AND Mourinho’ in blunt Sky Sports interview after Arsenal are thrashed by Tottenham
MIKEL ARTETA channelled his inner Pep Guardiola AND Jose Mourinho during a blunt TV interview after his Arsenal side were humbled 3-0 by Tottenham.
The Spaniard was not in the mood to talk following the defeat, which saw his side reduced to 10-men when Rob Holding was sent off.
First Arteta echoed shades of Mourinho's infamous "I prefer not to speak" interview after his Chelsea side were beaten 1-0 by Aston Villa back in 2014.
When asked by what he made of the game, Arteta bluntly hit back: "Well if I say what I think then I'm suspended for six months. So I cannot say.
"I'm allowed to give my interpretation of what happened in the game but I don't know how to lie, and I don't like lying... so I prefer not to say what I think."
Then when quizzed on Holding's red card he added: "I cannot say what I think, I will be suspended."
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Arteta then switched from Mourinho to Guardiola when questioned if he was disappointed with his players after the derby drubbing.
He replied: "With my players no, I am so proud of my players."
Fans were quick to make the comparisons on social media, with one user writing: "Mikel Arteta going full Pep Guardiola in his post match."
The Guardiola similarities come as no surprise though.
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Arteta of course spent three-years as assistant to Guardiola at Manchester City before being named the Arsenal boss.
When pushed further for his thoughts on the decisions in the game, Arteta said: "Ask the referee to come in front of the camera and explain his decisions. I make mine, that's his decision.
"It's a shame, because such a beautiful game was destroyed today."
One man who didn't have much time for Arteta's comments was opposing manager Antonio Conte.
When asked about Holding's dismissal, the Italian said his counterpart Arteta "has to be focused more on his team and not complaining".
He then added: "He has just started his work. He has to be calm... To listen to a coach complaining a lot of times is not good."
Conte continued on Arteta: "In six months I have listened to him complaining a lot."
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The Spurs boss then hit out at Arteta's prior complaints on fixture congestion, pointing out that tonight's game had to be rearranged due to Covid cases in the Arsenal camp.
He said: "He complained about the fixtures, no? At the time I said it's not good to complain because Arsenal were good to postpone a game in incredible way for positive COVID cases."