Pep Guardiola demands answers from Mikel Arteta after Arsenal chief's cryptic message

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has thrown down the gauntlet to Mikel Arteta after the Arsenal chief claimed to know all of his former club's secrets this week

Pep Guardiola will demand an explanation from Mikel Arteta after his Arsenal counterpart claimed he knew all of Manchester City's secrets.

The City chief and Arteta are close on and off the pitch after the latter spent time working under Guardiola at The Etihad between 2016 and 2019.

He has since gone on to rival his old mentor for the Premier League title after re-establishing Arsenal as a top force in the domestic game, and the bad blood between the two sides has ramped up following their feisty 2-2 draw last weekend.

The fallout from that clash has rumbled on all week with City complaining about Arsenal's tactics. And Arteta's claim that he knows about all the champions' methods has ruffled Guardiola's feathers.

Guardiola said on Friday: "Next time he has to be more clear about exactly what he means. We know exactly what happened here in those four years.

"Maybe it's about the 115 charges (for allegedly breaking Premier League financial rules). Maybe he has information on that, or maybe he has something (else), I don't know?

"Next time, with the good relations I have with him, he can answer exactly what he means when he says he was here."

Guardiola also fired back at Arsenal defender Gabriel, who was in the thick of the drama as last week's title showdown was marred by clashes on the pitch and the touchline after a tense second half.

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The Brazilian, who had a ball thrown at the back of his head by Erling Haaland after John Stones plundered City's dramatic late leveller, claimed that the race for the title between the Gunners and City was now "a war".

And asked for his take on those comments, Guardiola effectively told Gabriel and his team-mates to bring it on. He said: "Gabriel said it perfectly in the press conference, after the match. So, this is a war? We have to provoke the opponent, to push them, and at the end, what can you do?

"Okay, you provoke me, okay, I'm there. You want a war? Now we (go to) war.

"I'm pretty sure he's not proud (Gabriel), but listen, the type of challenge that Arsenal gives us, I understand it."

City travel to Newcastle in the weekend's early kick-off meaning they could temporarily pull five points clear of Arsenal, who host Leicester later in the day.

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