Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits there is “a lot” he would do differently in terms of his behaviour on the touchline, but believes coaches “have a responsibility” to stay cool.
Following Jurgen Klopp’s furious reaction to a foul against Mohamed Salah being missed by officials during Liverpool’s 1-0 win against Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, the German was sent off by referee Anthony Taylor, and later acknowledged he deserved his red card.
City boss Pep Guardiola had also been animated after Phil Foden’s second-half goal was disallowed following a VAR review that spotted a foul in the build-up.
At a press conference ahead of Arsenal’s Europa League Group A match with PSV at Emirates Stadium, Arteta said: “We do have a responsibility, not only with the referees as well but with the game. We want to get this game played and respected.
“Obviously to talk about any managers, I have enough just looking after my own behaviour and trying to do the right things for our club.
“But yes it is very intense, you get heated, there are moments like in the last few games. You’ve seen many, many incidents when VAR has to step in and there is a lot of controversy and a lot of moments where the result is in the air. It depends on a decision and it’s not easy to manage, but of course, we have a huge responsibility.
“If I have to watch myself on the camera after a match then there are probably things I would do differently. But when you are there in the heat and the way you talk even to your own players, a lot of time you would do it differently.
“It’s something that we have to learn, I think we are all conscious of it but the heat of the game takes you to behave in certain ways.”
The Gunners sit four points clear at the top of the Premier League after their win at Leeds United on Sunday was followed by City’s loss at Liverpool.
Arsenal were set to host City on Wednesday had it not been for the PSV fixture – which was re-arranged following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – but Arteta insists it does not matter when his current team faces his former employers.
“I don’t know, it is what it is,” he said. “Obviously the fixtures and the amount of games that we have, at the end of the day we’re going to have to play with everybody and we have this schedule and we’ve adapted to it.”
Arteta confirmed Oleksandr Zinchenko will be fit again from a calf injury before the World Cup break, despite the Ukrainian having not played since the north London derby victory against Tottenham, hinting that he could even play a part on Thursday.
Gabriel Martinelli could be absent after missing training, but Arteta refused to rule out either Zinchenko or the Brazilian attacker, saying: “No they are not ruled out, but we will see tomorrow what we decide.”
Arsenal will confirm qualification with a win against the Dutch side, sitting five points ahead of third-place Bodo/Glimt with a game in hand.
