Why is Mikel Arteta not on the touchline for Aston Villa v Arsenal?
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Mikel Arteta will be absent from the touchline during Arsenal’s trip to Aston Villa with the Spanish manager serving a ban.
The former midfielder received a third yellow card of the season in his side’s win over Luton.
Referee Samuel Barrot deemed that Arteta had over-celebrated Declan Rice’s late goal that snatched victory in a seven-goal thriller.
Erik ten Hag, Arteta’s counterpart at Manchester United, was also recently forced to watch from the stands after disciplinary issues.
But Arteta could yet face more punishment.
The 41-year-old was charged by the Football Association (FA) for making comments critical of the officials after Arsenal’s defeat to Newcastle earlier this season.
The Arsenal manager insists, though, that he will continue to show emotion on the touchline.
“I don’t know how to stop it,” he said. “[The Declan Rice goal] was a really emotional moment with everybody bouncing around and you lose sense of where you are and the space you have to be in.
Mikel Arteta’s celebrations at Luton earned him a booking
“It was unfortunate as now I cannot be next to my team on the touchline but it is a decision that they make looking strictly at the rules.
“After that I straight away sat on my seat and stayed there for 30 seconds but that was after the emotion. In the moment I think it is very difficult to demand that.
“I would like to be with my players because we work closely every single day to achieve what we want, which is to win the games and when you get those moments in sport you should be able to do that.
“I understand as well that there are certain boundaries and you have to respect that you are at an away ground but if I was given the chance I would be there jumping.”
Arteta will watch the game from the directors’ box, though is permitted to Arteta to take the pre-match team talk and to join his players in the dressing room at half-time.
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