Chris Wilder: Arsenal? They don't have City's experience. NETFLIX documentary changed Arteta's life

EXCLUSIVE by Alessandro Schiavone

Chris Wilder was exclusively interviewed by Capital Football ahead of the Premier League-defining clash between Arsenal and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium tomorrow night.

The former Sheffield United manager had his say on Mikel Arteta's meteoric rise, the famous NETFLIX documentary, the title race with Manchester City and a lot more.

Good evening Chris. There are a number of managers who’ve done well this term. As you were named LMA Manager of the Year back in 2019, you might tell us who the single most impressive head coach has been so far this term...

CW: "Mikel Arteta and Marco Silva, Thomas Frank are all fantastic managers and they have done brilliant. Everybody will always talk about, you know, Pep [Guardiola] and Jurgen [Klopp]. But really underneath them the likes of Eddie Howe, Mikel Arteta and ten Haag who has gone into Manchester and done a good job. I think they are all managers, they’ve managed the football club, they all look after their football clubs. Certainly with the Netflix documentary you can see that happening with Arteta and ten Haag who has gone into Manchester and done the same. Now Eddie Howe does the same and I’m sure Thomas [Frank] and Marco [Silva] are very hands on and very controlling of what happens.

Has that documentary changed the perception people have of Arteta? He was probably seen as a bit soft…but that documentary showed what he's really like: tough, takes no prisoners, but always read to pet his players on the back in good and bad times. Before the eight episodes in 'All or Nothing' people like Piers Morgan and some fans used to blast him. Yet criticism, even long before Arsenal’s impressive run at the start of the season, had all but disappeared. He's gained the respect of everybody, they saw what he’s really like. Do you agree?

CW: " I think what happens when we have a documentary it does get insight and people see exactly what happens inside a football club. I think it’s great insight to the outside world what the job of a football manager is and how pressurised it is. The documentary showed the quality that Mikel Arteta possesses and he’s a truly great manager."

Arsenal are top of the league but are they really the favourites? If we compare the two sides’ XI, bench, experience not sure the Gunners prevail..does the title race depend on Arsenal or Man City? If City hit top gear it’s really hard to stop them…a

CW"Obviously Arsenal are in control. If they win every game then they’re gonna win it. But I think it’s gonna be a lot of twists and turns. And Arsenal haven’t been down the stretch for a long, long time and Man City have so who knows? But sometimes when you haven’t been down the stretch, that inexperience might be a quality that they need. So who knows but everybody knows it’s gonna be an exciting end to the season."