Before the London derby in the 35th round of the Premier League, manager Ange Postecoglou praised his colleague Mikel Arteta for transforming Arsenal and becoming a role model for other clubs.
Arteta succeeded Unai Emery and immediately helped Arsenal win the FA Cup and the FA Community Shield in his first season in 2019-2020. The Spanish manager guided Arsenal to a second-place finish in the Premier League last season, securing a return to the Champions League after 6 years. This season, the Gunners defeated Man City to win the FA Community Shield and are currently leading the Premier League.
During the press conference before the North London derby, Postecoglou praised Arteta’s influence at Arsenal. “It’s no coincidence that the clubs contending for the title in the past two or three years are those with clear plans and stick to them,” the Australian coach expressed. “Arsenal is a great example. Arteta has done an excellent job, recognized and supported by the club from the start. It’s certainly a model for every team.”
Postecoglou continued to discuss the differences between teams: “It’s not as simple as saying just follow a similar process. Each club is unique, with different approaches to building. But Arteta has been truly disciplined in constructing a team he feels can bring sustained success and has contended for the title in the last two seasons.”
Tottenham has a decisive voice in the title race, facing Arsenal on April 28th, Liverpool on May 5th, and Man City on May 14th. Postecoglou sees these as three significant challenges, as well as opportunities to assess where Tottenham stands, what progress they’ve made, and what improvements are needed. The 58-year-old coach emphasizes that these matches not only affect the title race but also the race for Champions League qualification. Before round 35, Spurs sit fifth with 60 points, trailing Aston Villa by six points but with two games in hand.
Many Tottenham fans want their team to beat Arsenal to hinder the city rivals’ title aspirations. Regarding this, Postecoglou mentioned that he can’t control the emotions of the supporters and understands the importance of the North London derbies, especially when Tottenham plays at home.
Australia’s coach added: “In matches like these, we can’t allow our opponents to dominate. But ultimately, what’s important is measuring ourselves against the teams we want to challenge on a more consistent basis. And the upcoming match is a great opportunity to do just that.”
Regarding the squad situation, Postecoglou revealed that Pedro Porro and Richarlison are ready to play, while Oliver Skipp is absent due to a minor injury and left-back Destiny Udogie has undergone surgery for a quadriceps injury and will be out for the rest of the season. Postecoglou also believes that team captain Son Heung-min, who has scored seven goals and provided two assists in 19 matches against Arsenal across all competitions, will shine.