Vincent Kompany makes prediction about Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola’s title battle

Vincent Kompany believes Mikel Arteta has the steel to keep Arsenal’s title challenge on track whatever happens in Wednesday night’s showdown with Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola and Arteta will go head to head on Wednesday night when defending champions City head to the Emirates Stadium with a chance to move above Arsenal at the top on goal difference, albeit having played a game more.

Guardiola won both matches against his former assistant last season, 5-0 in Manchester and 2-1 in north London, but Arsenal are a different proposition this term as they seek their first Premier League title since 2004.

Much of their improvement is down to Arteta, who began his coaching career as Guardiola’s City assistant in 2016 before becoming Arsenal boss in 2019.

Arteta needed patience from the Arsenal board during some teething problems early in his reign, but the success he is now enjoying has come as no surprise to Kompany, who spent three seasons working with him at City towards the end of his playing career.

“Like any good coaching staff is supposed to work he was definitely an extension of Pep, probably the one in the coaching staff that was closer to the players, and understanding fully what Pep wanted as a manager,” Kompany said.

“You could see Mikel was in that transition moment from being a player to being a coach. He was hungry, he was very active, full of energy, and obviously he was in a good environment to develop and grow his own ideas.

“I’m not surprised he’s been doing well with Arsenal and definitely he’s going to continue doing well, there’s no doubt about that…

“He’s got the energy and especially the resilience to deal with setbacks and keep going, draw his own conclusions and improve,”

“That’s why I think he’s doing so well with Arsenal. And that is why he is definitely he’s going to continue doing well, there’s no doubt about that.”