Why Mikel Arteta is not on the Arsenal touchline for their crucial Premier League clash against Aston Villa
- The Gunners face a stern test when they travel to Villa Park on Saturday evening.
- Unai Emery’s team wins a convincing victory over Manchester City.
- It would do Arsenal no harm if Arteta disappeared from view at Villa Park. It all begins
Arsenal face a stern title test when they take on Aston Villa on Saturday night.
The Gunners sit top of the Premier League table after beating Luton in midweek and travel to Villa Park to face their former manager Unai Emery.
Under the Spaniard, Villa have made it 14 straight home wins, including a dominant 1-0 win over Manchester City on Wednesday.
Arsenal will have to work hard to topple Emery’s side and they will have to do it without their coach Mikel Arteta.
His assistant Albert Stuivenberg will oversee the game, with Arteta taking up a position in the directors’ box following his actions at Kenilworth Road.
The Gunners head coach suggested he would be celebrated separately and that he is not the only manager in the Premier League to do so.
There were wild scenes on the road at Kenilworth Road after late winner Declan Rice.
Mikel Arteta was booked against Luton after celebrating Declan Rice’s last-minute winner
Why isn’t Mikel Arteta on the Arsenal touchline?
The Arsenal manager received his third yellow card of the season for his role in the jubilant celebration of Declan Rice’s late winning goal.
Arteta has hinted that he is being singled out for breaking his technical area and rules that are not applied consistently across the league.
“We are allowed to celebrate, but I think we have boundaries. We may have to extend.” He stated this at the pre-match press conference. We just need a very strong rope, otherwise we won’t move. But that means We don’t move – all of us.”
When asked if other bosses had invaded the field, he replied: “That’s why I say: We.’
Who is Albert Stuwenberg?
The Dutch coach will oversee the game in Arteta’s absence at Villa Park. Stuivenberg previously worked with Louis Van Gaal at Manchester United.
The 53-year-old also had a spell with Belgian side Genk after leaving Old Trafford in 2016.
From there, Stuivenberg moved to Wales in 2018, where he coached Gareth Bale before splitting his time with the Gunners.
He ultimately turned his attention solely to the north London club in 2021 as Arsenal emerged as a serious force in the Premier League.
