Mikel Arteta feels he has gleaned valuable lessons from Arsenal's contentious loss at Newcastle last season and is making a concerted effort to manage his emotions, as he aims to avoid any potential bans from the dugout. Arteta was exonerated from accusations of making derogatory remarks about match officials following Arsenal's 1-0 loss at St James' Park last season, where VAR did not overturn Anthony Gordon's decisive goal. The Spaniard is among five Premier League managers yet to receive a yellow card this season, as his team gears up for a Saturday early kick-off against Newcastle. Arteta, who is optimistic about Gabriel Magalhães' fitness but has concerns over Ben White due to a joint issue, mentioned that he has been consciously striving not to overstep the mark.
"I certainly don't want to miss any games," he stated. "I can't promise that if we score a goal, I won't be leaping up and down the touchline. That's something I can't guarantee. Hopefully, the match officials have also adapted and understand that emotions play a significant role in the game. I can't control myself when the scoreline changes, but so far, it has worked out."
When asked if he had been meditating to cope with unfavorable decisions, Arteta responded: "On the touchline, I haven't reached the point of meditation yet, but perhaps it's something I need to consider! My primary focus is on the team and giving them the best opportunity to be as competitive as possible, winning the majority of our matches. When the rules and certain behaviors towards the touchline changed, we needed to adapt and evolve. That's what I'm trying to do."
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