Mikel Arteta knows Pep Guardiola and Manchester City well. The Arsenal boss spent three years as Gaurdiola's assistant at the Etihad Stadium, before making the move into management with Arsenal in 2019.
The pair are great friends, but also great rivals now, with Arsenal being City's closest challengers in each of the last two Premier League seasons. The Gunners finished five points adrift of City in 2022.23 and then two points off them last year.
They were expected to be City's closest challengers once more this season, but neither can lay a glove on Liverpool currently, with the Reds, under new boss Arne Slot, eight points clear of City and nine clear of Arsenal after 12 matches.
Arsenal went though a spell of four Premier League games without a win to fall behind in the title race, while City are on a run of six games without a win in all competitions - unheard of under Guardiola.
City became the first team in Premier League history to win four consecutive titles when winning it last year, but a fifth looks some way off currently. And Arteta can't quite believe what he's seeing at the Etihad Stadium.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game with West Ham United this Saturday, Arteta said: "What I’ve made of it is what they’ve done for nine years. Everybody has a bump. For them it’s very strange because in nine years they never had it. Everything has to be perfect and things have to go your way."
City travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool in a massive clash on Sunday afternoon that could determine whether City are in the hunt for a fifth straight title or not come the end of the season.
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Keep warm on the sidelines