Mikel Arteta makes peace with Fabian Hurzeler after Arsenal time-wasting jibe | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta insisted he and Fabian Hurzeler were on good terms after the Brighton boss reached out to clear up his critical comments about Arsenal’s style of play.

Hurzeler accused the Gunners of “making their own rules” following last week’s 1-0 loss to the Premier League leaders and on Friday revealed he had exchanged texts with Arteta, telling the Spaniard he had “huge respect” for the Arsenal boss and everyone at the club.

Arteta refused to reveal the details of their exchange and doubled down in his defence of their approach ahead of Saturday’s top-flight meeting with Everton.

“That’s a personal conversation,” said Arteta. “Obviously he’s made public and now said some comments that he made before and that says, I think, a lot of positive things about him as a person.

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Mikel Arteta (left) refused to reveal the details of his exchange with Fabian Hurzeler (Cody Froggatt/Bradley Collyer/PA)

“So I appreciate that and the rest, you know, I think he’s a fantastic coach. The job that he is doing at Brighton is really, really good and that’s fine.”

Arsenal’s critics have pointed to their reliance on set-pieces and absence of what some, including Alan Pardew – who described their style as “functional” – feel is a lack of excitement or beauty in their game.

Arteta would offer no apologies, adding: “That’s why there are the rules. For the long throws, we don’t want to see long throws, it’s very simple.

“Give four seconds for the long throws if you need, but the biggest issue is the man-to-man, believe me.

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Arteta’s side ground out a 1-0 win at Brighton to go seven points clear at the top (Getty Images)

“And then all the managers have to agree, you cannot defend man-to-man and tomorrow, you’re going to have a different league. I guarantee you, a different league.”

Arsenal sit seven points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand.

Asked if style mattered at the sharp end of the Gunners' title chase, Arteta replied: "It's playing the best football you possibly can and the game demands to give you the best possibility to win the game and that's it."

Arteta has no fresh injury concerns ahead of Everton's visit, but it remains uncertain if Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard will be fit.

While he would not go so far as to say he hoped relegation-battling Tottenham would survive, in order to preserve the bitter top-flight rivalry next season, Arteta did appreciate the appeal of the north London derby.

"I continue to say, it's one of the most beautiful games that we have, because when there is that passion and that rivalry, when it's in the right way in a sport, I think it elevates the game and the feelings and the emotions after winning to a different level.

"And yeah, it's not for me to say what is going to happen, but I can describe certainly how it is to play against each other."