{"id":296515,"date":"2023-10-20T14:25:36","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:25:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=296515"},"modified":"2023-10-20T14:25:36","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:25:36","slug":"mauricio-pochettino-believes-mikel-arteta-is-one-of-the-best-ahead-of-london-derby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/mauricio-pochettino-believes-mikel-arteta-is-one-of-the-best-ahead-of-london-derby\/","title":{"rendered":"Mauricio Pochettino believes Mikel Arteta is \u2018one of the best\u2019 ahead of London derby"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mauricio Pochettino highlighted his respect for Mikel Arteta and believes the Arsenal manager is \u201cone of the best in the world\u201d.<\/p>\n
Chelsea boss Pochettino faces off with his former Paris Saint-Germain team-mate for the first time on the touchline when the Blues host Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.<\/p>\n
And the Argentinian lauded Arteta, who took Arsenal to a second-placed finish last season, and is not surprised by the Gunners boss\u2019 success since becoming a manager in 2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe respect Arsenal, they are a great team,\u201d Pochettino said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have Mikel (Arteta) who is part of my family. It\u2019s going to be tough because they\u2019re doing a great job with a great squad, they are a contender to win everything, the Premier League and the Champions League.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt does not surprise me with what he\u2019s doing. He\u2019s great, he\u2019s really young, he\u2019s improving every day and he can be one of the greatest managers in the world. I\u2019m going to be proud to see him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think when you are a coach at Arsenal and the team is showing what they are showing it\u2019s because you are one of the best.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arsenal failed to finish in the top four during Arteta\u2019s first three seasons prior to their title challenge last season, finishing eighth in both 2019-20 and 2020-21 and fifth the following season.<\/p>\n
And Pochettino credited Arsenal for showing their faith in Arteta and highlighted the strong relationship between club and manager which has allowed them to \u201cfight for big things.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the beginning for him it was really tough. For maybe a year it was tough but it was a good thing that they put trust in him,\u201d Pochettino added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey gave him all the tools and really believed that he was able to rebuild.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you have to give credit to the club and Mikel because they have created a bond between each other which is really class and now the results after three or four years (have improved) and now at Arsenal they are fighting for big things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Right-back Malo Gusto is in contention to start for Chelsea after he served a three-game suspension for a sending-off against Aston Villa.<\/p>\n
And Pochettino is happy with the new signing\u2019s progress after he replaced Reece James in the XI after the Chelsea captain picked up a hamstring injury in August.<\/p>\n
Pochettino said: \u201cI think he is really young but he is also really talented. Tomorrow he has the possibility to play.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is difficult to judge because he is 19 years old and came from France and he needs time to adapt to a club like Chelsea where the history is to win and it\u2019s not just about competing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are happy, we believe in him but give him time because I know he will perform in the way we believe he can.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s going to be good for the club for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pochettino said James\u2019 availability will be assessed ahead of Saturday.<\/p>\n