Mikel Arteta believes that his previous absence from the touchline could prove beneficial ahead of this weekend’s visit to high-flying Aston Villa.
After picking up a third booking of the season in the aftermath of our dramatic 4-3 win against Luton Town on Tuesday, Mikel will be forced to watch our game at Villa Park from the stands.
It is the second time during his tenure that the boss’ presence will be missing from the dugout after he missed our game against Manchester City on New Year’s Day in 2022 through Covid, the experience of which he hopes will benefit us on the weekend.