Premier League title race will not affect Pep Guardiola bond: Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta has claimed that the Premier League title race between Arsenal and Manchester City will not affect the bond he has with Pep Guardiola. City and Manchester City played out a 2-2 draw as tempers flared between both teams.

In Short

• Manchester City and Arsenal played out a 2-2 draw recently
• Arteta said the rivalry won't change his relationship with Guardiola
• Arteta said that things shouldn't be taken personally in the title race

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has claimed that the intense Premier League title race with Manchester City will not affect his bond with Pep Guardiola. Arteta served as the assistant coach of City under Guardiola for 3 and a half years before he took up the Arsenal job. The last 2 seasons have seen the Gunners finish 2nd behind City in the title race.

The first match of the Premier League season between both teams on 22 September saw it end in a 2-2 draw. However, the players from both sides were seen feuding with each other after the game at the Etihad stadium. Speaking ahead of the Leicester game, Arteta said that he loves and respects Guardiola and said the rivalry in sport will not affect their relationship off the field.

"I love him, I respect him, I admire him and I admire his team and everything that he does," Arteta said of Guardiola and their relationship in his Friday news conference. "This is sport. One thing is our profession, another is our personal relationship."

"If our relationship was damaged because one draws and the other one wins or the amount of times that they've beaten us, I would not talk to him any more. So that's not our relationship, especially the relationship that I consider both of us have. In sport, it will never get in my way, a personal relationship, that's for sure."

Don't take it personally

Arteta said that things shouldn't be taken personally in the title race as it is their job at the end of the day.

"If you don't like opinions then you shouldn't be sitting in the position that I am. It's quite simple. Don't take it personally. It's part of our job. The things that you really care about, make sure you handle them in the right way. That relationship I really care about," said Arteta.

City and Arsenal will be in action on Saturday, September 28 as they face Newcastle United and Leicester City.