The north London derby could be a fiery affair on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images)
Antonio Conte has defended Mikel Arteta for his antics on the touchline during matches, with the Tottenham boss saying the Arsenal manager reminds him of himself for ‘showing passion’ amid the heat of a game.
Arteta was criticised for going over the top on the touchline during Arsenal’s goalless draw with Newcastle on 3 January, going wild when the Gunners were denied penalty claims.
Far from the calm demeanour Arteta presents in press conferences, he is extremely animated during games and Conte has no problem with it.
The Italian feels the Spaniard is cut from the same cloth as him who likes to ‘live the game’ from the touchline, as the two men prepare to meet in the north London derby on Sunday.
‘I think that everyone tries to live the situation in the way that they like to live,’ Conte told a press conference on Friday.
‘For sure also Arteta is another coach that shows his passion and transfer this into the pitch and his players, but honestly I’m seeing a lot of coaches involved in the game.
‘Our job now has become really difficult so to see a coach sat on the bench is very difficult.
‘For sure Arteta is a coach like me, we show our passion and what happened on the pitch is the motion. Nothing is prepared in your mind. Sometimes you can celebrate in a strange way but this passion is a pure passion. Arteta is another coach who likes to live the game.’
On his behaviour, Arteta said: ‘I try to do my best for this football club, to defend it, to promote it, and to play with the passion that the game has to be played in.
Arteta was furious during Arsenal’s draw with Newcastle (Picture: Getty Images)
‘Every game is special and every manager behaves very differently regarding the circumstances. And you can’t take the context out of a situation. That is not fair. That is me, here and on the pitch, for the good and the bad.’
When asked if would change how he acts, he said: ‘That is me and I will try all the time to be better and whatever I do, if it is tomorrow, the next day, or the next one, is to make the club stronger and my players better, to play better, and to win.
‘But if I have to do something, I will do it, and if I have to change something, believe me I will look in the mirror myself and change it very quickly.’
MORE : Mikel Arteta responds to Mykhailo Mudryk posing in an Arsenal shirt on Instagram
MORE : Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard and Mikel Arteta scoop Premier League awards
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The north London derby is bound to produce some touchline action.
