David Moyes recalls how Arsenal manager Arteta helped 'change the culture' at Everton following slow start

• Two managers meet on Boxing Day
• Arteta used to play for Moyes
• Didn't initially impress his old boss

WHAT HAPPENED? Arteta joined the Toffees in the 2005 January transfer window on loan before moving permanently in the summer. He played over 200 times for Everton and Moyes before leaving to sign for Arsenal – who he now manages – in 2011.

WHAT THEY SAID: In a recent press conference, when asked about signing Arteta, Moyes said: "Sometimes when you're signing players you're never quite sure. Mikel had gone up to Glasgow Rangers and I'd watched him play for Rangers and he had just done okay. But we had been watching him and my staff were saying 'no, we should take him' so my staff were very good around it. So we brought him in on loan and actually at the start he was a bit slow in starting but once he got going he became a super player for us.

"And actually, sometimes there's things in your journey at a football club that change you. Players change it. The players change the culture a little bit as well and our culture started to change."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Arsenal will play host to Moyes and West Ham on Boxing Day in their first Premier League game back following the 2022 World Cup. The Gunners are currently league leaders while the Hammers languish down in 16th place just one point above the bottom three.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

Getty Images

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WHAT NEXT FOR ARTETA? The Gunners currently have a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table and their Spanish manager won't want to see that diminish when coming up against a familiar face.