What Mikel Arteta told Arsenal players before dramatic Man City defeat last season

10.08.2022 - 16:33 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Mikel Arteta admitted to his Arsenal players that Manchester City 'humiliated' them last season in the Blues' 5-0 win at the Etihad Stadium.

Three games into the 2021/22 season, City welcomed a winless Arsenal side to the Etihad and took an early lead, before Granit Xhaka was sent off midway through the first half. City went on to win 5-0 and condemn Arsenal to rock bottom in the table without having scored a goal.

Later in the season, City travelled to the Emirates for the reverse fixture, with a rejuvenated Arsenal side going ahead through Bukayo Saka, before a controversial Riyad Mahrez penalty was quickly followed by a foolish red card for Gabriel Magalhaes. Rodri then scored a 93rd minute winner for City and keep their title charge going.

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In the new Arsenal 'All or Nothing' documentary on Amazon Prime, Arteta's team talk before that feisty Emirates clash will be shown in a new episode this week, with the former City assistant telling his players to remember the feeling when Pep Guardiola's side 'humiliated' them in the 5-0 game by making more attacking substitutions to increase the scoreline.

Arteta was absent from the Emirates game with Covid, but will be shown giving his passionate team talk over video link to the squad assembled in the dressing room before the game.

"I am really sorry I cannot be there, because we are going to go to f*****g war, today," Arteta says. "One thing guys, be yourselves. I want a game with you face to face [with City]. I want to see [our] players confronting them.

"When we were at the Emirates, remember what they did...Three-nil down and with 10 players and they went f*****g putting [Riyad]