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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta insists he is not interested in what happens at title rivals Manchester City \u2013 either on or off the pitch.<\/p>\n
The Gunners sit two points clear at the top of the Premier League after their narrow 2-1 win over Wolves on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Liverpool are their nearest challengers as City were held to a draw for the third league game in a row \u2013 with Tottenham sealing a thrilling share of the spoils at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Defending champions City will still be in the shake-up come the end of the season and pipped Arsenal to the title last season en route to winning the treble.<\/p>\n
Asked if he has seen a drop-off from that City side that swatted away all comers last year, Arteta replied: \u201cI don\u2019t look at those things. I have enough looking at my team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think about how we\u2019re going to play better tomorrow and be more consistent and be more difficult to beat and the things that we need to tweak and how we can use our players in the best possible ways to win. It\u2019s still a huge marathon ahead of us.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe encouragement comes from watching the team play, watching them behave every day and how hungry and willing they are to approach every training session.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what gives me encouragement. What the others do is something that we cannot control.\u201d<\/p>\n
If I am good at mind games, maybe you don\u2019t notice<\/p>\n
Arteta was also name-checked by friend and former colleague Pep Guardiola in the aftermath of City\u2019s 3-3 draw with Spurs.<\/p>\n
Guardiola refused to be drawn on the decision of Simon Hooper not to play an advantage late in the game as City broke through on goal \u2013 saying he would \u201cnot do a Mikel Arteta comment\u201d.<\/p>\n
It was a clear reference to former City assistant Arteta, who is still awaiting the outcome of a Football Association charge after he labelled the decision of VAR to award Anthony Gordon\u2019s goal in a recent 1-0 loss to Newcastle as \u201cembarrassing\u201d and \u201ca disgrace\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn to the next one (question) please,\u201d Arteta replied when asked about Guardiola\u2019s jibe.<\/p>\n
Asked if he was aware of the sort of mind-games Premier League managers have utilised in the past, he added: \u201cIf I am good at mind games, maybe you don\u2019t notice.\u201d<\/p>\n