Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta heaped praise on Everton boss David Moyes, describing his former manager as the king of the Premier League. The Spaniard reflected on how Moyes shaped his career when first bringing him to English football in 2005.
Arteta prepares for emotional meeting with former club
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta will face a deeply personal fixture when his side host Everton at the Emirates Stadium. Before moving into management and eventually taking charge in North London, Arteta spent six memorable years at Goodison Park, making 209 appearances and scoring 35 goals for the Merseyside club.
The Gunners enter the fixture holding a five-match undefeated streak across all competitions, following a resilient 2-2 Champions League comeback against Bayern Munich.
Everton visit North London seeking answers under veteran manager David Moyes after enduring a difficult run of domestic results.
Arteta hails Moyes as longevity inspiration
Speaking to the media ahead of the match, Arteta expressed immense gratitude towards Moyes, who signed him for Everton from Real Sociedad in February 2005. "100%; I don’t know if it’s the king or what it is, but he’s certainly someone that I think we all look up to," Arteta stated.
"Not only for his longevity, but I think what he represents for the game, what he represents for the Premier League, and his trajectory."
"For me especially, because I know the man behind the coach, which is the most important thing... and he’s a superb coach," the Spaniard added.
Spaniard recalls magical nights at Goodison Park
Arteta fondly remembered his playing days under Moyes, highlighting the unique connection he shared with the Everton supporters. "I remember that night. The atmosphere we created on those nights at Goodison," Arteta recalled, reflecting on his European nights in royal blue.
"Those fans were incredible with me, I always felt part of the family, they made me feel very welcome."
"The fact it was after so many years of European football, I think the fans were waiting for those nights as well," he reflected.
Gunners braced for tactical battle against Toffees
Despite Everton's recent domestic struggles, Arteta warned his squad against complacency when facing Moyes' well-organised side.
"There are a lot [of threats], because I know David so well and how he sets the team, the quality they have in their organisation and individually," Arteta noted.
Arsenal look to extend their dominance over Everton as the action kicks off at the Emirates Stadium.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
