Mikel Arteta has come under heavy criticism following his touchline behaviour during Arsenal’s victory over Everton, with former Everton scout Bryan King questioning the Spaniard’s actions.
King, speaking to Football Insider, described Arteta’s conduct as unacceptable after the Arsenal manager received a yellow card for repeatedly stepping outside his designated technical area.
It was the second time Arteta had been booked for the same offence this season, raising concerns that another caution could leave him facing a one-match suspension.
The Arsenal boss reportedly reacted to the booking by smiling and pointing towards his assistant, Gabriel Heinze. However, King was far from impressed with the incident.
“If I was a player, I wouldn’t want to see my manager dancing about, shouting and waving his arms around,” King said, adding that Arteta’s behaviour drives him crazy.
The former scout also suggested that the Arsenal manager was fortunate not to receive a red card, criticising his reaction to the referee’s decision.
King argued that managers should remain within their designated technical areas rather than constantly moving around the touchline, insisting that such behaviour does not prove how involved they are in a match.
🔥 ARTETA HITS BACK OVER REFEREEING DECISIONS
Arteta, meanwhile, believes there is inconsistency in how referees handle managers who leave their technical areas.
Following the match, the Spaniard claimed he had collected numerous images showing other Premier League managers repeatedly stepping outside their designated zones without receiving yellow cards.
He suggested that he was keeping evidence of these incidents to challenge any future criticism of his own conduct.
Arteta also joked that referees could introduce sensors to monitor managers’ movements along the touchline.
The incident has once again brought the Arsenal manager’s relationship with match officials into the spotlight, as referees appear to be taking a stricter approach to touchline behaviour this season.
With another yellow card potentially triggering a suspension, Arteta may need to be more careful during upcoming matches.
Do you think referees are treating Arteta unfairly, or should the Arsenal boss simply stay inside his technical area? 👀👇
