Arteta 'not surprised' by criticism of his tactics after Manchester City match

In the match against Manchester City, Arsenal managed to escape defeat only in stoppage time thanks to Gabriel Martinelli. Despite this, Mikel Arteta remains confident in the validity of his approach.

Details: After the game, Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher criticized Arteta for opting for a cautious lineup, as Eberechi Eze was left on the bench while Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, and Mikel Merino started in midfield. Arteta did not go on the defensive, instead responding to criticism about applying the "handbrake" in big matches.

Quote: "Surprised? In football? I don't think anything surprises me. I don't read these things, but if you're saying that's the main topic, I would be extremely surprised given my experience and the way I analyze the game. It was impossible to predict such dominance by Arsenal over 96 minutes.

Because in Pep's 17 years of work, this has never happened before. So, if we're talking about dominance, how can you dominate a team like that if, as you said, you have the 'handbrake' on? Dominance and 'handbrake' are two different words. But I accept everything and will learn to have a different perspective," Arteta said.