Mikel Arteta Dodges Questions About Tactical Fouls & Encourages Reporters to Ask Pep Guardiola Again

​Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has dodged questions regarding the use of tactical fouls and instead opted to encourage reporters to go back and ask Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola the same question, after he recently opened up on the topic. 

Arteta was assistant manager under Guardiola at the Manchester club, but he left his post towards the end of December to become the Gunners' new head coach. 

​City boss Guardiola was recently quizzed on tactical fouling, with the boss quick to reiterate that he does not ask his team to commit such fouls. However, when he was asked to comment on footage of Arteta discussing fouls during the club's Amazon Prime documentary, he told reporters to ask the new Arsenal head coach themselves. 

Speaking ahead of the recent Manchester derby, Guardiola said, as quoted by ​the Evening Standard: “So you have to go to London and to ask Mikel.” And asked if he wasn’t aware of it, he added: “I didn’t say that!

"I have said many times when I was at Barcelona and here never in my life have I had a meeting where I have talked to my players about tactical fouls. It happens sometimes because you are late and because they are so fast, and they are so quick, that you make a foul."

Arteta has now been asked about the topic, but the 37-year-old was quick to defend himself. Speaking ahead of his side's upcoming clash with Crystal Palace, he said (​via Omnisport): "It was the wrong clip on Amazon. I will ask the journalist to go back to Manchester and ask the same question again."

It appears as though neither are willing to discuss the topic, despite reporters' best attempts. Arteta has made a positive impact in north London, having recently comfortably overcame Manchester United. 

​The Gunners then went on to book their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup after they edged past Leeds United, although the head coach was far from pleased with certain aspects of that performance.