Declan Rice’s last-gasp winner against Luton Town sent the Arsenal bench wild, including manager Mikel Arteta. In fact, the Spaniard was so excited that he got booked for “excessive celebrating.”
Unfortunately, that will cost him watching the Gunners’ next game in the stands. Arteta saw the yellow card for the third time this season, and will therefore have to serve a one-game suspension on Saturday, when his team plays Aston Villa at Villa Park.
“I could not be seated in my seat. It was pure emotion. If that’s a yellow… that’s a yellow,” Arteta told BeIN Sports after the match. While he won’t be allowed on the touchline until two hours after the game, Arteta has authorization to communicate with his assistants.
Besides, the Premier League rules also state he can have access to the locker room before the kick-off, at halftime, and after the final whistle. Therefore, it’s not like his players won’t see him at all on Saturday. Either way, Arteta has already lived a similar experience last year.
When Arteta addressed his players on Zoom before a match
On January 1, 2022, Arteta found a way to be close to his players despite being physically far from them. The coach couldn’t show up for a game against Manchester City due to Covid-19, so he addressed his players in the locker room via Zoom.
From a TV screen, the Arsenal boss delivered an epic pre-match talk that went viral as Amazon Prime Video captured the moment for the “All or Nothing” series centered on the Gunners’ 2021-22 campaign.
That day, assistant coach Albert Stuivenberg earned the nickname “Airpods Albert” as he was mic’d up to hear from the coach. On Saturday, we’ll probably see a similar situation, though Arteta will be at the stadium.
Arsenal aim to extend winning streak
The Gunners are enjoying a fantastic start to the season that sees them atop the Premier League standings with 36 points after 15 games. The team is also riding on an impressive winning streak in the league, having claimed five straight wins after conceding its first loss of the season to Newcastle.
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Arteta’s team has also started its UEFA Champions League campaign strongly, securing a place in the round of 16 with one game to go in Group B. On Tuesday, Arsenal will visit PSV to conclude the group stage.
