Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola insists Arsenal will be making a “big mistake” if they sack his former assistant coach Mikel Arteta.
Pressure is growing on Arsenal head coach Arteta after Guardiola’s City thumped the Gunners 4-1 in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
Arsenal are languishing in 15th place in the Premier League table after 14 matches, with seven defeats in their last 10 league games.
Despite the Gunners horror run of form, Guardiola says the club should stick with Arteta and they would be making a mistake to part ways with the Spanish tactician.
“They will do a huge, big mistake if they [sack Arteta]. I’m pretty sure they are going to trust him,” Guardiola told BBC Radio 5 Live after Tuesday’s game.
“I understand that the analysts analyse the results. But I was with him many years and I know his incredible quality as a human being and especially as a manager, how he is involved in everything. It’s just a question of time and he will do well.
“I’m not on the board. For me they will do a big mistake if they are thinking [to sack him].
“They give him the confidence, they won two titles when for a long time ago it didn’t happen at this club. In this pandemic situation, with injury problems they have and the games they played they always played good.
“But unfortunately these games are our job and it depends on the results. But football changes in one week so quick.
“I can speak about my experience alongside him, one of the most incredible successful teams in English history we had and he was part of this success and it would not be possible without him, and to create something like this you need time like I had in my first season.”
The fixture list doesn’t get any easier for Arsenal, with the Londoners to host Chelsea in the Premier League on Boxing Day before back-to-back away trips to Brighton and West Brom either side of the New Year.
Manchester City welcome Newcastle United to the Etihad on December 26 before they also hit the road twice for matches against Everton and Chelsea.