Mikel Arteta has said allowing his relationship with Pep Guardiola to deteriorate amid a title race would set a poor example for sport, pointing instead to the respectful rivalry shared by tennis greats Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who competed against each other for decades but maintained a strong friendship away from the court.

Mikel Arteta has issued a passionate plea to the Premier League, begging chiefs to increase the size of matchday squads to protect the mental health of players. The Arsenal boss believes the current rules are outdated given the intense demands on modern footballers and has called for immediate reform to avoid the "avoidable" heartbreak of leaving stars at home.

"There’s still questions about the mental strength of the team. I think there was a lack of aggression. Too many players failed to deliver," Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira said on Sky Sports after watching his former side suffer a 3-2 defeat at home to Manchester United last weekend. "It was a must-win game. They needed to send a message to the rest of the teams in the league."

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has moved quickly to address rising tension at the Emirates Stadium, holding a crucial team meeting following the disappointing 3-2 defeat to Manchester United last Sunday. The loss marked the Gunners' first home defeat of the season and extended their winless Premier League run to three matches, sparking frustration among sections of the home support who booed at the final whistle.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has made a worrying admission that previous shortcomings may impact the Gunners' title push. The north London side fell to a 3-2 loss to Manchester United on Sunday evening as Mikel Arteta's men suffered their first home reverse of the season. Defeat to United saw their lead at the top of the table cut to just four points.