MIKEL ARTETA and his coaching staff have no love lost with former Oxford United manager Karl Robinson.
Robinson faced off against Arteta and Co when Arsenal paid Oxford a visit in the FA Cup third round.
But despite losing 3-0 – courtesy of a brace from Eddie Nketiah and a Mohamed Elneny header – it was the antics of Arteta and his staff, rather than his team’s performance, which riled up Robinson.
Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: “I have seen it first hand (Arteta’s antics), it isn’t necessarily always him though.
“I think there is one or two behind him that don’t conduct themselves great at time, which I was shocked by.
“Listen, they were moaning at us for going down and wasting time. I tell you what, we will play Arsenal, right, and we will give you all the ball, 95 minutes.
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“We are obviously going to be looking to set-plays and taking more long throw-ins.
“It is part and parcel of what we have to do, but you are better than us. Then, they were having ago at me for doing that.
“I think I said one or two things and I might have been wrong. They were calling me all sorts it was quite funny.
“One of his staff members was calling me a cheat, this, and that, and I said ‘thank you.’”
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Arsenal would be knocked out of the competition by title rivals Manchester City in the fourth round, and Robinson also hopes Pep Guardiola can clinch the title ahead of his former pupil.
Robinson declared: “I want City to win it [the title], because of Guardiola.”
And asked whether his rationale came down to his fractured relationship with Arteta, he added: “Yeh, probably.
“I just love Pep Guardiola and I’m just addicted to watching Man City play. I respect what Arsenal have done, they have been outstanding.
“Without what Arsenal have done this season, the league would have been completely boring. It will go down to hopefully the last few games.
“That’s why we do have the best leagues in the world, and part of that is having competition for Manchester City over the last three or four years and they are certainly going to do that.”
Arsenal’s gap to City is now down to just four points after they threw away another two goal lead against West Ham.
Consequently, the clash between the pair on April 26 has grown to be potentially the most pivotal game of the season.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
