![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/football\/football-thumb\/football-thumb.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola distanced himself from Mikel Arteta\u2019s success at Arsenal, insisting he learned just as much from his fellow Spaniard as opposed to the other way around.<\/p>\n
The narrative of Sunday\u2019s skirmish between two sides tipped to be vying for the Premier League title at the end of the season centres on Guardiola the master going up against Arteta the protege.<\/p>\n
Arteta was one of Guardiola\u2019s assistants for three years before leaving for Arsenal in December 2019, making gradual strides to the point where they were City\u2019s closest top-flight challengers last season.<\/p>\n
Any notion Guardiola is indirectly responsible for Arsenal\u2019s resurgence was rubbished by the former Barcelona manager, who believes he had a reciprocal arrangement with Arteta during their time at City.<\/p>\n
Asked if he sees a lot of his characteristics in Arteta, Guardiola said with a smile: \u201cZero. He has a completely different father and mother and he has his own personality.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the success he has belongs absolutely to Mikel and his people at Arsenal, not me. People say \u2018he was with Pep and learned a lot\u2019. I learned a lot from him.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople say always I have to teach my assistant coaches; I bring the assistant coaches here to teach me. I am here, the figure in front of the microphone but I learn like the players.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople believe we teach the players but we learn off them to take the decisions many times. All of the good things about Mikel belong to him, his genetics his mum and dad are giving to him. Not me.\u201d<\/p>\n
All the success he has belongs absolutely to Mikel and his people at Arsenal, not me. People say \u2018he was with Pep and learned a lot\u2019. I learned a lot from him<\/p>\n
En route to a historic treble last season, City collected a third successive league title as they finished five points ahead of Arsenal, who claimed a top-four spot for the first time since 2016.<\/p>\n
Guardiola thinks Arteta can bring back the glory days at Arsenal, who signed England midfielder Declan Rice for a club record \u00a3100million, plus \u00a35m in add-ons, in July after City dropped out of the race.<\/p>\n
Guardiola said: \u201cEverybody knows that we wanted him. In the end, Arsenal pushed more and wanted him more. Maybe Mikel was more convincing than me. We could afford it maybe less, that\u2019s why.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arsenal, who are unbeaten after seven league games and lie just one point City in the table, also paid more than \u00a360m for Kai Havertz and their spending power suggests they will be challengers for a while.<\/p>\n
Guardiola added: \u201cNormally when Manchester City spent this amount of money it\u2019s crazy, when it\u2019s the other ones how smart they are.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not denying that everyone can do whatever they want and never judge the other one. We have been judged all the time but it\u2019s fine.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we were in the middle of the table it never happened (like) that, it was not a problem, we were not under scrutiny from the rest.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the moment Arsenal\u2019s recruitment is really good. They have a young squad for many, many years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe perspective for many is the fact that they will be there many times and, of course, Declan Rice is an exceptional, exceptional holding midfielder with the national team. He is an exceptional player.\u201d<\/p>\n