Manchester City star Raheem Sterling has heaped praise on Mikel Arteta for the improvements he has brought about at Arsenal since his appointment as manager last December.
Arteta has made a big impression at the Emirates in his first 10 months in the role, leading the Gunners to FA Cup glory last season.
He has also been credited with shoring up Arsenal’s defence and has led the team to three wins from four in the Premier League and progression to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals this campaign.
Before his appointment, Arteta spent three-and-a-half years honing his managerial ability as assistant to City boss Pep Guardiola.
(Image: REUTERS)
Arteta was a popular figure at the Sky Blues and Sterling spoke highly of the Spaniard ahead of Arsenal’s trip to the Etihad on Saturday evening.
“He’s a person that had a lot of say here,” Sterling said. “The manager trusted him here and he had a lot of influence on the players here and the team as well.
“So I knew once he went into Arsenal that it would be a great opportunity for him but also he would definitely implement what he wanted to bring in.
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“And he’s a person that will put his foot down and not let things slide as you can see with the boys at Arsenal. They know if they don’t run they are most likely not going to play.”
In particular, Sterling has been impressed by the new-found aggression Arteta has introduced to Arsenal’s style of play.
The England forward added: “You can see the change that he’s brought in there, you can see the energy, you can see how much he’s put into them with their off-ball work.
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“We all knew before Mikel got in how much good football they could play, how technically good they were but probably off the field they weren’t as aggressive as they are with Mikel.
“They run their socks off now, you can see why they benefited with some good results recently.”
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