Mikel Arteta believes managers should be allowed to celebrate with their players after important goals – and joked the only way to stop it happening is by tethering them with a rope.
Arsenal boss Arteta will serve a touchline ban at Aston Villa tomorrow after being booked – his third caution of the season, automatically triggering a one-game suspension – for leaving his technical area to join the celebrations following Declan Rice’s injury-time winner at Luton on Tuesday night.
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Arteta accepts he overstepped the mark at Kenilworth Road, but hopes the rules apply to all managers in the Premier League.
Asked what could be done to prevent that situation happening again, he said: “We have a boundary that we need to extend, or we need a very strong rope so we don’t move!
“But if we don’t move, it means WE [all managers] don’t move, all of us. But the decision is made and I don’t think the rules are going to change between now and tomorrow.”
???? Last-minute limbs at Luton
???? Team togetherness
???? Gleeful Gooners⏩ Our latest Fast Forward is here ????
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 7, 2023
Arteta is one of the more demonstrative managers in the Premier League and he admits to finding it hard to contain his excitement in situations like that.
“I don’t know how to stop it, it was a really emotional moment,” he added.
“You have everyone bouncing around and you lose sense of the space you have to be in. It was unfortunate because now I can’t be next to my team on the touchline.
“If you look at the rules, yes you cannot do that, but the context is different.
“If I was given the opportunity, I would like to be there with my players because we work closely every single day to achieve what we want which is to win games.
“When you get those moments in sport, you should be able to do that but I understand there are boundaries, and you have to respect you are in an away ground, but if I was given the chance I would be there jumping.”
The only blip for Arsenal on Tuesday night was an unconvincing display from goalkeeper David Raya that re-opened the debate over whether he or Aaron Ramsdale should be the regular number one.
Arteta said: “David’s form and what he’s achieved since he’s been with us has been really impressive.
“I have three great goalkeepers, I have great wingers and some of them are on the bench, but the questions aren’t related to them.
“We have to accept that but we have to support our players, protect them and get the best out of them. Every player needs the right support, the right love.”
Saturday’s trip to Villa Park pits Arteta against Unai Emery in a battle of the Basques. Villa moved up to third place in the table on Wednesday night with a 1-0 win over champions Manchester City that was more convincing than the scoreline suggested.
“Huge credit to them, and to Unai for what they’ve done,” said Arteta. “They are really tough opponents. It’s a great place to go, it’s one of my favourite grounds, very English, with a great atmosphere so it’s going to be a big challenge for us.”
