Mikel Arteta: Pep Guardiola's prediction of Mikel Arteta in 2021 resurfaces

• Pep Guardiola somehow predicted Mikel Arteta would eventually succeed as Arsenal manager
• Arteta worked as Guardiola’s number 2 at Manchester City before taking up the Arsenal job
• In 2021, an under-fire Arteta was backed by Guardiola, whose sentiments now seem to ring true

Pep Guardiola’s comments from February 2021 about Mikel Arteta have suddenly become relevant amid the Gunners’ frightening form in the Premier League.

Arsenal have emerged as surprise pacesetters of the 2022/23 campaign, winning all five of their opening games of the campaign.

Mikel Arteta has somehow transformed his youthful side to early title contenders, and their latest 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Wednesday, August 31 further established them as the team to beat this campaign.

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This was however not the case a little over 19 months ago.

In February 2021, there were heavy reports that Arteta would get the sack as Arsenal boss after a dismal season saw them languish in the bottom half of the table.

Their misery was compounded when Guardiola’s Manchester City inflicted a 1-0 defeat at the Emirates, further putting Arteta’s job at risk.

But in the post match press conference after that game, Guardiola passionately came to the defense of Arteta, sharing his opinion on the Spanish tactician.

Guardiola had no doubt Arteta would eventually find a winning formula with Arsenal as he maintained his former assistant was a top manager.

At the time, Guardiola said as quoted by Give Me Sport:

“Mikel [Arteta] knows everything. He’s so good. It’s not because he’s my friend. I know how he lives, I know what he plans, I know how he works. He’s so clever.

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“I learn a lot from watching his teams and today I learned something that I can use in the future. He knows everything about football.”