Arsenal host Tottenham Hotspur this weekend in a tantalising North London derby, and Mikel Arteta has heaped praise on his opposite number, Ange Postecoglou ahead of the game.
Ordinarily, the results of these hotly-contested matches come down to who is at home. Naturally, the hostile atmosphere can be daunting for the travelling teams in such a fierce fixture.
In recent years, the balance of power between London’s rivals has constantly shifted. In the 2021/22 season, Spurs had the upper hand by defeating Arsenal to reach the top 4.
Last season, it all belonged to the Gunners. Arsenal have been impressive all year and would have won the Premier League if not for Manchester City’s impeccable form towards the end of the season.
Things look a little different again this year. New coach Ange Postecoglou has created great momentum for Tottenham with his management style and attacking football.
The two clubs are unbeaten so far in the league this season, and the upcoming game will be an intriguing examination of both sides.
Arteta believes that Postecoglou is a top coach
In the press conference (via Football Daily) before Sunday’s match, Mikel Arteta had a lot of good things to say about Postecoglou.
He said: “They have a new manager who has done really, really well. He has changed the vibe and everything around the club. And a different style [of play] as well, so we have to adapt to that. But we will be ourselves and deliver the performance we need to beat them.
“I really like him. I have players I know that speak very highly of him. It is no coincidence. You can tell right away that he is fitting in. That’s the beauty of this league, we have top, top managers.”
Spurs Web Opinion
It’s quite a surprise to hear Mikel Arteta say nice things about someone. It doesn’t happen often, but that’s the thing with Ange Postecoglou; he is almost impossible to dislike. Make no mistake though, Postecoglou will not be feeling nice on Sunday, and neither will Arteta, I’m sure.
