Are you 24 or older?

Help us verify your age by providing an honest response. This site contains gambling advertising for 24+.

Age-restricted content

You’re not old enough to view betting content. You’ll be redirected to the homepage.

alt
Live£50

This page contains affiliate links. When you purchase through the links provided, we may earn a commission.

+18 | Commercial Content | T&C's Apply | Play Responsibly | Publishing Principles
Explore Betting on GOAL
FBL-EUR-C1-INTER-ARSENALAFP
Soham Mukherjee

Revealed: How Mikel Arteta 'puts other managers off the scent' with matchday mind games and injury tactics

M. Arteta
Arsenal
Premier League
O. Zinchenko

Oleksandr Zinchenko revealed how Arsenal's Mikel Arteta is able to "put other managers off the scent" with his matchday mind games and injury tactics.

TV & Broadband Bundles
Virgin Media

Virgin Media

✅ Combines superfast home broadband and live Premier League broadcasting into a single household bill.

✅ Allows you to bolt TNT Sports onto an existing TV package on a 31-day rolling basis for around £25 a month.

✅ Broadband-only customers can use the free Stream box to add and drop the Sky Sports HD pack on a 30-day rolling basis.

Monthly from£52.99
Flexible Sport Add-Ons
EE Logo

EE

✅ The "Sport Plus" tier bundles both Sky Sports (via NOW) and TNT Sports into one seamless package to cover all 267 televised matches.

✅ Allows you to upgrade or downgrade your TV tier each month without breaking your 24-month broadband contract.

✅ Includes the Apple TV 4K or EE TV Box Pro for high-end viewing and easy multi-room streaming setups.

Monthly from£25
Min. 215 Live Games
Sky Sports logo

Sky Sports

✅ Broadcasts at least 215 live Premier League matches per season

✅ Marquee slots including Friday nights, Saturday evenings, all Sunday matches and Monday Night Football

✅ Exclusive broadcaster of all 10 final day matches

 

Monthly from£35
TNT Sport Access
HBO Max

HBO Max

✅ Streams all 52 TNT Sports matches, making it the exclusive home for the early 12:30 pm Saturday fixtures.

✅ Provides exclusive coverage of select full midweek matchdays.

✅ Combines live Premier League football with premium HBO shows and Warner Bros movies in a single app ecosystem.

Monthly from£25.99
Flexible Viewing
NOW TV

NOW

✅ Streams the entire Sky Sports Premier League catalogue over the internet to smart TVs and mobile devices without a satellite dish or installation wait.

✅ Offers 31-day rolling contracts (for £34.99/month) so you can cancel during the summer off-season.

✅ Offers 24-hour Day Memberships for £14.99 if you only want to watch a single specific derby or match.
Monthly from£27.99
TV & Broadband Bundles
Virgin Media

Virgin Media

✅ Combines superfast home broadband and live Premier League broadcasting into a single household bill.

✅ Allows you to bolt TNT Sports onto an existing TV package on a 31-day rolling basis for around £25 a month.

✅ Broadband-only customers can use the free Stream box to add and drop the Sky Sports HD pack on a 30-day rolling basis.

Monthly from£52.99
Flexible Sport Add-Ons
EE Logo

EE

✅ The "Sport Plus" tier bundles both Sky Sports (via NOW) and TNT Sports into one seamless package to cover all 267 televised matches.

✅ Allows you to upgrade or downgrade your TV tier each month without breaking your 24-month broadband contract.

✅ Includes the Apple TV 4K or EE TV Box Pro for high-end viewing and easy multi-room streaming setups.

Monthly from£25

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • Arteta known for unconventional methods
  • Likes to keep cards close to chest
  • Zinchenko spilled the beans about manager's ways
Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    From using injury ploys to hiring pickpockets during team dinners, Arteta's unconventional methods have often captured the public imagination. Sometimes he asks injured players to join the team bus and even walk into the dressing room with their gear, misleading the opposition into thinking they might play - one of his many attempts at keeping his opponents off balance.

  • Oleksandr Zinchenko Mikel Arteta 2024-25Getty/GOAL

    WHAT ZINCHENKO SAID

    In an interview with The Athletic, Zinchenko revealed, "[Arteta] likes to play games with the opposition. I’ve seen him tell injured players to come on the team bus and walk into the dressing room with their wash bag, to put the other manager off the scent."

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    The strategy was recently on display when Arteta started Bukayo Saka against Liverpool, despite expressing uncertainty over the winger’s availability beforehand. Explaining his approach, Arteta said, "I don’t want to make it easy for anyone. The opponent has to make sure they do their homework - like I have to. When I know, I am not going to lie to you, I am not going to say, ‘He’s not fit’ and then I play him - I would never do that - but, if I am certain or I don’t want to tell you, I will keep you guessing."

    • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

    Follow GOAL on Google

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Arteta’s methods go beyond tactical deception and delve into creative team-building exercises. Zinchenko also recounted a time when Arteta hired a professional freestyle footballer to pose as a waiter during a training session. The freestyler surprised Zinchenko with his skills, leaving the Arsenal defender in stitches. Arteta took this concept even further by employing pickpockets at a team dinner. Unbeknownst to the players, sleight-of-hand artists mingled among them, discreetly stealing valuables such as phones and wallets. At the end of the meal, Arteta asked the players to check their belongings, leaving many stunned to find items missing.

  • Newcastle United FC v Arsenal FC - Premier LeagueGetty Images Sport

    WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

    Arsenal’s next test comes against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. As the Gunners prepare for the clash, fans will be eager to see what new tricks Arteta has up his sleeve.

Next matches
LIV

LIV

Premier League

01 Nov 2026

ARS

ARS