Mikel Arteta has revealed that Fabian Hürzeler apologised to him by text after the Brighton manager’s criticism of Arsenal following their previous meeting.
The two managers meet again at the Amex Stadium on Saturday for the first time since Arsenal’s contentious 1-0 victory on the south coast in March.
Hürzeler was unhappy with aspects of Arsenal’s game management that afternoon and publicly criticised the Gunners after full-time.
Arteta has now confirmed the disagreement was resolved privately soon afterwards.
Arteta Reveals Private Hürzeler Apology
The Arsenal manager was asked about his relationship with Hürzeler during Friday’s pre-match media duties.
Arteta made clear there is no lingering issue between the pair.
Reuters’ report from Arteta’s Brighton press conference revealed that Hürzeler apologised to the Arsenal boss by text following their previous meeting.
“That’s all done. That’s all in the past,” Arteta said.
He also stressed that he retains considerable respect for his Brighton counterpart and the work being done at the Amex.
The response effectively closes the book on a disagreement that became one of the major talking points after Arsenal’s victory in March.
What Hürzeler Said After Arsenal Win
Tensions emerged after Arsenal battled to a narrow victory at Brighton late last season.
Hürzeler took issue with Arsenal’s attempts to manage the closing stages and was particularly critical of the amount of time he felt Arteta’s players were taking over restarts.
The Brighton boss argued his side had tried to keep the game moving while Arsenal slowed proceedings down.
ReadArsenal covered the fallout at the time, including Arsenal’s response to Hürzeler’s criticism after the Amex victory.
Those comments created an obvious subplot ahead of Saturday’s reunion.
Arteta, however, has no interest in reopening it.
He instead focused on the difficulty of facing a Brighton side that have started the new season impressively.
Arteta Has ‘Huge Respect’ for Brighton Boss
Arteta described Hürzeler and Brighton in positive terms when asked about the previous dispute.
“I have huge respect for Fabian and what Brighton have done as a club,” the Arsenal manager said.
The focus has therefore shifted completely towards Saturday’s football.
Brighton enter the game as the Premier League’s leading scorers after finding the net 13 times across their opening four fixtures.
Our analysis of Brighton’s 13-goal attack shows why the Seagulls could present Arsenal with their toughest defensive challenge of the campaign so far.
Hürzeler’s side also showed their resilience in midweek by recovering from two goals down to beat Manchester United in the Carabao Cup.
That makes the tactical battle more significant than any lingering managerial rivalry.
Arsenal Return to Scene of March Battle
Arsenal’s previous trip to the Amex ultimately produced three important points.
The Gunners have developed an increasingly strong recent record against Brighton and are now unbeaten in seven consecutive competitive meetings between the clubs.
Our Brighton vs Arsenal head-to-head guide details that sequence ahead of Saturday.
Extending it will require another disciplined performance.
Arteta told reporters Arsenal would have to “earn the right” to win against a Brighton team carrying considerable momentum.
The personal disagreement between the managers appears to be finished.
What remains is a difficult Premier League fixture between two sides who have both made impressive starts to the season.
Hürzeler’s apology has removed one source of tension.
Saturday’s contest should now determine whether Arsenal can once again leave the Amex with the result they want.
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