This archive report was first published on 17 July 2020.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his admiration for Arsenal's progress under Mikel Arteta, saying the Spaniard has the potential to lead the Gunners back to the top of English football.
Guardiola, who was Arteta's assistant coach at City before he left to join Arsenal, praised the way Arteta has transformed the team's playing style and the positive atmosphere at the club.
"I see from the side how they celebrate goals, how they fight for every ball. They have begun to create something special for the club," Guardiola said in a news conference on Friday.
Guardiola believes that with the right support from the club, Arteta can lead Arsenal to become contenders for major honours in the coming years.
"Arsenal were one of the elite clubs in English football for the last 20, 30 years. I am pretty sure (Arteta is) the right person to take them back to the position they were. When the club supports him there is no better person to do the job than Mikel," Guardiola said.
Guardiola's comments come ahead of the FA Cup semi-final between City and Arsenal on Saturday, a match that will be a test of Arteta's team's progress.
