Mikel Arteta has been criticised over his touchline antics (Picture: Sky Sports)
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he will only make changes to his approach on the touchline if he feels it is necessary after being slammed for his antics by the likes of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton.
While Arteta has taken Arsenal five points clear at the top of the Premier League, he has received criticism for some of his conduct on the touchline.
The Spaniard was seen repeatedly approaching the fourth official during Arsenal’s goalless draw with Newcastle United on Tuesday, with Premier League legend Shearer later calling his behaviour ‘disrespectful’.
‘I think Mikel Arteta needs to have a word with himself, or his assistant needs to have a word with him and calm him down,’ the ex-England striker said on Premier League Productions.
‘I think he’s disrespectful to the opposition and he’s making it very difficult for the referees who have a hard enough job as it is.
‘I get he wants to be animated but if his players behaved like him, he wouldn’t like it and it would cost him. He needs to calm down.
‘I get they’re top of the league and it’s a big game, but he’s making it very, very difficult for referees and he’s disrespecting the opposition.’
Shearer even claimed Arteta’s conduct could be having a detrimental effect on his players as they look to win their first Premier League title since 2004.
He added: ‘They know they’re under pressure but when you see your manager behave like that on the touchline…
‘He needs to calm down. He’s the one making the tough decisions so he needs to stay calm. At the minute he’s just going crazy and that can’t be helpful to the players can it?’
Sutton also took aim at Arteta after the Newcastle stalemate and claimed the Arsenal manager was behaving like a ‘clown’.
Asked about the calls for him to keep a lid on his touchline antics at Arsenal’s pre-match press conference on Saturday, Arteta said: ‘If I think I have to change something, believe me, I will look in the mirror and change it.’
Arteta was speaking before Arsenal’s FA Cup third round clash against League One side Oxford United on Monday.
Arsenal were frustrated by Eddie Howe’s Newcastle earlier in the week and were later charged by the Football Association for failing to control their players.
The Gunners had two penalty appeals waved away by the referee and Arteta said they were two ‘scandalous’ decisions.
An FA spokesperson said: ‘Arsenal FC has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E20.1 following its Premier League match against Newcastle United FC on Tuesday, 3 January 2023.
‘It’s alleged that Arsenal failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 95th minute, and the club has until Tuesday, 10 January 2023 to respond.’
More to follow…
Alan Shearer called the Arsenal manager ‘disrespectful’.
