Guardiola & Arteta - united against Slot

Former associates in a fierce title race, a mentor and a student, two Spaniards against each other - Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta.

However, despite their exceptional rivalry, the two tacticians were united in their response to Arne Slot, who made interesting remarks about set pieces in the Premier League.

"I think it's mainly here in the Premier League. If I watch other leagues I don't think there's so much emphasis on set-pieces."

"If I watch an Eredivisie game, which I still do, I see goals being disallowed and fouls on goalkeepers being given and I think 'wow, that's a big difference'. Here, you can almost hit a goalkeeper in his face and the referee still says 'just go on'."

"Do I like it? My football heart doesn't like it. If you ask me about football, I think about the Barcelona team from 10, 15 years ago. Every Sunday evening you were hoping they would play."

"Now, most of the games I see in the Premier League are not for me a joy to watch but it's always interesting because it's so competitive," the Dutchman said via Sky Sports.

Even though these comments weren't directed at him or his crew, Guardiola felt an urge to touch on Slot's words, defending the league and pointing out the importance of adaptation.

"It is part of the evolution and part of the dynamics. You can sit and complain but you have to adapt. It's part of the game. I know the game is stopped with set pieces, it is not dynamic but it is part of the game."

"You have to adapt and especially adapt in the way it is whistled and conducted in the Premier League. Every country has a specific way to do it and every club have specific ways to play with the managers and the teams," he said via Mirror.

Finally, Arteta was much more sarcastic than his compatriot, aware that Slot's remarks concerned Arsenal.

"I'm upset that we don't score more, and that we concede as well."

Arteta's assistant gets paid for every set-piece goal

"We want to be the best and the most dominant team in every aspect of the game, and that's the trajectory and the aim of this team, and as a club, we want to be the same. So we try to do that."

"Chelsea, look at the quality that they have, the amount of set-pieces they score. Manchester United as well. I was at Man City, I used to work a lot on them," the Gunners' boss stated, before directly addressing Slot's issue of football beauty.

"I don't know how you celebrate one goal different to another one. Maybe for YouTube it's nicer one or another. I don't know."

"I would like to play with three players extra in my own half to get some beautiful football and play always against a free man. This is not the reality of football."

"If you want to watch that football, you have to go to a different country because in the Premier League, for the last two seasons or three seasons, this is not the case," Arteta concluded, as reported by ESPN.

Slot's team, Liverpool, was shockingly defeated by the last-placed Wolverhampton last night, while City and Arsenal play their EPL clashes tonight. The Manchester side hosts Nottingham Forest at Etihad Stadium (22.30), and the Londoners face Brighton on the road at the same time.

PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 29

Tuesday

Bournemouth - Brentford 0-0

Everton - Burnley 2-0 (1-0)

/Tarkowski 32, Dewsbury-Hall 60/

Leeds - Sunderland 0-1 (0-0)

/Diarra 70 (p)/

Wolverhampton - Liverpool 2-1 (0-0)

/Gomes R. 78, Andre 90+4 - Salah 83/

Wednesday

22.30: (5.50) Brighton (3.70) Arsenal (1.67)

22.30: (2.10) Fulham (3.50) West Ham (3.80)

22.30: (1.40) Man.City (4.70) Nott.Forest (8.00)

23.15: (2.60) Newcastle (3.60) Man.Utd. (2.70)

Thursday

23.00: (2.45) Tottenham (3.40) Crystal Palace (3.05)

***odds are subject to change***