Mikel Arteta is looking forward to facing Everton this weekend as he continues to rebuild his Arsenal team.
Mikel Arteta has helped Arsenal regain some decent form and reignited their chances of qualifying for a European place next season.
David Moyes signed him for Everton from Real Sociedad as a player and he played for more than six years at Goodison Park before spending another few years at Arsenal, where he ended his career at the top level.
He spent the first three years of his post-retirement learning the trade of management under Pep Guardiola.
Everton and Arsenal wanted him as their new manager at the end of last year, but it was the Gunners who got their man.
Coincidentally, he and Ancelotti were both named as managers of their respective teams around the same time.
Arsenal and Everton’s first game after their respective appointments was when both teams faced each other in the reverse fixture and today they face each other for the first time this season.
Ahead of Arsenal’s match against the toffees, Arteta said as per Arsenal.com:
‘I played there seven years. I still have some great memories, great friends and people that I love a lot. It was always special for me to play [there] and I’m really looking forward to it.
‘It was weird because when I was appointed manager, I had to go to Goodison and Carlo [Ancelotti] was appointed that day I think.
‘We shared some comments on the day. We have a lot of things to improve and it feels like it was eight months ago but it was not that far away!’
