Pep Guardiola sends a message to Mikel Arteta ahead of Manchester City vs Arsenal clash

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has sent a message to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta ahead of the clash between their respective teams at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

Guardiola and Arteta will reunite for the first time in the Premier League after the former Manchester City assistant manager took the coaching role at Arsenal when he replaced Unai Emery at the Emirate earlier this season.

This will mark the first time Arteta will face his former boss, the former Everton star was part of Guardiola management team at Etihad when Manchester City dominated the Premier League for two seasons.

But Guardiola and Arteta will put their on-the-pitch rivalry aside after the match and share a bottle of wine – if they’re allowed to! ‘I’m so excited to see him, one of the nicest people I ever met,’ Guardiola said ahead of the Premier League’s return on Wednesday night.

‘It was a joy for me and for all of us to work with him. The feeling I have is he’s happy there and doing an incredible job. ‘I’m looking forward to seeing him. This game belongs to the players, they make the difference.

‘He knows absolutely everything of us, he was an incredibly important part of our success, he helped us to be who were were and who we are. We are delighted he will come back, especially if he is happy there. ‘We sent a message for an hour and a half ago.

It was about the wine we are going to drink after the game if social distance allows!’

Manchester City will host Arsenal in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.