‘You’re not in this job to be liked’ – Roy Keane DEFENDS ‘passionate’ Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta for touchline antics
ROY KEANE saw nothing wrong with Mikel Arteta’s emotional touchline behaviour during Arsenal’s thrilling 3-2 win over Man Utd.
The Gunners regained their five-point lead over Manchester City in the Premier League title race on Sunday as Eddie Nketiah’s dramatic late strike handed them a huge victory.
Mikel Arteta was booked during Sunday’s clash at the EmiratesGetty
Twitter @SkySportsPLRoy Keane defended Arteta’s pitchside antics against Man Utd[/caption]
And while Arteta continues to lead his team through a superb campaign, his pitchside antics have been scrutinised.
The Spaniard was booked during the win over Man Utd after furiously reacting to Luke Shaw’s innocuous foul on Bukayo Saka.
But Keane does not believe Arteta deserves any criticism for his conduct.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “Well I certainly wouldn’t worry about yellow cards, it’s the reds that you’ve got to worry about!
“But from the Arsenal point of view I think they’d be OK with it, because he’s obviously passionate and you’re not in this job to be liked!
“He’s there to win football matches for Arsenal and that’s what he’s doing.
“Listen, he’s got the yellow card, he has to take his medicine, but I generally have no problem with it.
“We see other managers doing stuff that we might not always agree with but they’re emotional, they’re passionate and I think that’s just because he wants to win. I wouldn’t be too harsh on him.”
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Arsenal now have 50 points after 19 league games and have lost just once – in the reverse fixture against Man Utd.
At this stage of the campaign, they have accumulated more points than any Gunners side in Premier League history.
Next up for Arteta’s men is an FA Cup fourth-round tie against Man City on Friday, before they travel to Everton on February 4.
