Arsenal should feel ‘no shame’ about their much-criticised playing style, according to Mikel Arteta’s former boss David Moyes.
The Scot takes his Everton team to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday hoping to get one over Arteta, who played under him for six years at Goodison Park.
But Moyes reckons the talk about Arsenal’s direct playing style has been over the top and the only thing that matters is winning.
Asked if Arteta will have taken a leaf from Moyes as well as other ally Pep Guardiola, who he was assistant to at Manchester City, the Everton boss said: ‘I have no doubt that he will have learned from Pep. He may have learned other things from me, the management or leadership side.
‘On your journey as a coach or manager you pick up bits from everyone, Mikel was always a clever boy.
‘There’s no shame in playing or being any one thing. I have to be careful but the Premier League has never been one way.
David Moyes (left) has defender Mikel Arteta’s (right) playing style ahead of Everton’s clash with Arsenal
The Gunners have been criticised for their approach in trying to win the Premier League
‘Arsenal have been excellent. From the first game of the season. Probably maybe outside PSG, the biggest favourites for the Champions League. It’s amazing people have been critical, who are the people who have been critical of them?
‘They’re in a great position, have been all season, winning the games. Unless the referees do more on set-pieces – which they really should be doing, to be honest – you’d have to say they are taking all the advantages they can get. They have an incredible squad.’
One member of that squad is Declan Rice, who Moyes nurtured at West Ham and said earlier this season that the east London club were robbed by not getting £150million for his sale.
The Scot added: ‘It was a pleasure to work with him. A great young man, great professional, good fun, the biggest respect I can give him is that I thought he was the next Bobby Moore.
‘The way he conducts himself. I see him as a future England captain. I would not be surprised if he won all the (individual) awards.’
Everton go to Arsenal in inspired away form having lost just one in their last 10 games on the road, including notable scalps at Old Trafford, St James’ Park and Villa Park.
Defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who skipped a warm-weather training camp in the Portuguese resort of Quinta do Lago last week, is a doubt. The England international needs to have his minutes carefully managed after hamstring surgery earlier this season.
