Arne Slot has lent his support to ‘special’ Mikel Arteta, insisting the Arsenal manager deserves more credit for the job he’s done at the Emirates.
The knives are out for Arteta following Arsenal’s Champions League exit against PSG, despite being favourites to finish Premier League runners-up for the third consecutive season.
Slot, whose Liverpool champions will get a guard of honour from the Gunners at Anfield on Sunday, wants people to look beyond Arteta not winning a trophy since the FA Cup in 2020.
‘Mikel should get, in my opinion, a lot of credit for the way his team plays,’ said Slot.
‘Arsenal can play almost every style. It is a big accomplishment to be able to have only one style, but Mikel’s team are capable of being different, as we saw in the two games against PSG.
‘They can play off set-pieces. They can defend in a low block and be the dominant team. They can play a high-press. They can build up from the back or play the long ball.
Arne Slot has guided Liverpool to the Premier League title in his first season on Merseyside
The biggest challenge came from Arsenal but Mikel Arteta’s men ultimately could not keep up
Slot and Arteta will go head to head for the second time this season when they meet on Sunday
‘Every part of the game they are good, and that means it is difficult to analyse them because you don’t know what you’re going to face.
‘The only way you can have that is if you work at a club for so many years but not all managers who have been at clubs a long time can play so many styles. This is special. You don’t see it a lot.’
Slot’s backing has echoes of Pep Guardiola sticking up for Arteta after Manchester City had beaten an injury-ravaged Arsenal 5-0 in 2021.
The Liverpool manager is already planning for the post-Trent Alexander-Arnold era by starting Conor Bradley at right-back this weekend.
Whilst Jurgen Klopp talked about his team’s leadership group of Virgil van Dijk, Alisson, Mo Salah, Andy Robertson and vice-captain Alexander-Arnold, the Dutchman revealed his style is different.
‘We have leading players, but it’s not like I sit every month or week with a leadership group. I’ve never done that,’ he said.
‘With Trent leaving, it’s not all of a sudden we have no leaders left. He wasn’t the most vocal one in the dressing room, but he did lead by example. I talk with all of the players, not three or four.’
