Pep Guardiola has called for clarity from Mikel Arteta over comments made by the Arsenal manager following last weekend’s clash at the Etihad Stadium.
A last-gasp John Stones strike rescued a point for Manchester City in an eventful 2-2 draw that saw the visitors reduced to ten men when Leandro Trossard was sent off.
The fiery affair prompted Stones and Bernardo Silva to accuse the Gunners of “dirty” tactics and “time-wasting”.
But Arteta hit back in his press conference on Tuesday, hinting that City are also guilty of using the so-called ‘dark arts’.
Arteta, who previously worked under Guardiola, said: “I have been there [at City] before, I was there for four years.”
“I have all the information. So I know. Believe me.”
“Stay humble eh” 🔥
Listen to Erling Haaland’s comments to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta at full-time following the 2-2 draw 🚨 pic.twitter.com/sXVYrK7hw9
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 23, 2024
At his own press conference on Friday, Guardiola, whose side face Newcastle this weekend, demanded clarity from his former assistant regarding the comments.
He said: “Next time Mikel has to be more clear. He has to be more clear exactly: what does he mean?
“He said he was here four years and knows exactly what happened here.
“That can be related to the process now with 115 charges, maybe he knows information about that? Or maybe he had something like, I don’t know?”
The City boss also insisted his side were ready to go to “war” with their Premier League rivals.
He added: “Gabriel said it perfectly in the press after the match, so this is a war.
“We have to provoke the opponent, to push them. And at the end, what can you do? You provoke me, OK, I’m there.
“You want a war? Now we war.”
Despite the heated fallout, Arteta appeared to play down suggestions of a spat, insisting he holds no grudge against his former mentor.
The Gunners boss said: “I love him, I respect him, I admire him and his team and everything that he does.
“This is sport and a personal relationship.
“If my relationship has to be damaged because one draws and the other one wins when we play against each other, the amount of times that we have lost, then I wouldn’t talk to him anymore.
“It’s sport and it will never get in the way of a personal relationship for sure.”
Ahead of the trip to Newcastle on Saturday, Guardiola confirmed he will be without influential midfielder Rodri for the remainder of the season after the Spain international suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage to his right knee against Arsenal.
PEP 💬 What he [Rodri] gives us we don’t have a similar player, but the other players all together can replace what Rodri has given us since he arrived. We have to do it as a team and find a way to play during a lot of months without an important player. pic.twitter.com/slEhcU0t9i
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 27, 2024
The City manager admitted there is no natural replacement in his squad for Rodri and said his team will need to adapt in the absence of the 28-year-old.
“We don’t have a similar player, but the other players all together can replace what Rodri has given since he arrived to us,” Guardiola said.
“We have to do it as a team and we have to find a way to play a lot of months without an important player for us.”
Kevin de Bruyne will also miss the game at St James’ Park but could return before the next international break in October.
