'Like a father to me' - Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reveals special relationship with Chelsea counterpart Mauricio Pochettino

Their relationship traces back to Arteta's formative years as a footballer when he joined Paris Saint-Germain as a teenager. Pochettino, then a senior player at PSG, offered guidance and support that helped them forge a lasting bond that transcended the boundaries of the pitch.

Reflecting on their bond, Arteta fondly recalled Pochettino's unwavering support during his early days in Paris. When asked if the Argentine has been a big influence on his career, he said: "For sure. One of the most, I would say. I was 17 or 18 years old in Paris, I was thrown into Paris and it was in January, I think, with no experience of professional football and he doesn’t like me saying it, but he was like a father to me.

“He took me under his arm, he gave me incredible advice, he really helped me, he inspired me and I learned so much from our two years there together and, from there, we maintained that relationship. I knew he was going to be a coach, I admire him a lot for what he’s done in his career and he’s always someone that I look to because he was really impactful for me probably at the most important stage of my professional career. It was the beginning and it was one as a role model that I could not pick anybody better than him.”

Arteta revealed that it was not always "tactics" that he discussed with Pochettino, but he also received life lessons from the former Tottenham manager, which has helped him immensely while making crucial decisions.

“When I had to stop, I had to make a decision and I asked him and he gave me some advice and it was needed. It’s just the way he is. He does not need to talk to me about tactics," he said.

"The best influence he had on me is the way he approached life, his profession, his family. Who he was as a figure in that dressing room. The passion and the love he had for the game. For me, that is the most important thing that I learnt from him.”

Mutual respect, camaraderie and admiration will take a back seat for 90 minutes when the two Premier League giants clash in a high-stakes encounter on Tuesday evening. While Arsenal can hardly afford to drop points to keep their championship hopes alive, the Blues will continue their push for a European spot as they are just three points behind sixth-placed Newcastle United with a game in hand.

Arteta insisted that his troops are ready to give their all in the final lap of the season and stressed the importance of daily commitment and perseverance in achieving success.

“We have excellent professionals as well at the club who are constantly on top of that, much more than me," he said. "It is not something you can do on the day, to change the outcome of the next three weeks. It is something that you do daily. I call it a drizzle. If you go out there you don’t wear an umbrella, but you are constantly getting wet every single day and then, before you know it, you are soaking wet and you are ready because it is every single day as a habit.”