Kevin De Bruyne is full of admiration for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal (Picture: Getty Images)
Kevin De Bruyne says he is not surprised by Arsenal’s success this season so far and has labelled them as title challengers who are playing exceptional football.
The Gunners are enjoying a spectacular start to the Premier League season, sitting top of the table with eight wins from their first nine games.
Despite the rampant nature of De Bruyne’s Manchester City side, they are still a point behind Arteta’s side as the north Londoners pick up impressive wins over the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham.
Arteta was previously a coach at City under Pep Guardiola and De Bruyne, having watched his progress in the three years at the Etihad, expected Arteta to do well as a manager.
Asked if he was surprised by Arsenal’s start to the season, the Belgian told Sky Sports: ‘No not really. I think I see a lot of similarities with the way that we play, but that’s always been his style.
‘I saw an evolution from the beginning of Mikel till the three years later when he left. Beginning he was adapting, but then he was getting more and more into his role.
‘We also saw that he had a lot of ambition, when an opportunity comes he will take it.
‘I’m happy for him that it’s going well, obviously you want people to do well.’
Put to De Bruyne that the Gunners are title challengers this season, he said: ‘They are! They’re playing really, really, really good football I’m really happy to see the way they progress.
‘Hopefully they will just not be good enough for us.’
The top two in the table are both in action on Sunday with Arsenal looking to make it seven wins on the spin in all competitions when they go to Leeds, while City go to Liverpool in the standout fixture of the weekend.
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‘I saw an evolution from the beginning of Mikel.’