Arteta: Did you know Manchester City lost? I found out after the game that we didn’t look at our phones during midfield

Sports 1:59am, 27 October 2025 156
. But I don’t know if it’s the calf or the Achilles tendon or what it is.

A lot of focus will inevitably be on Eze today, as he plays against his former team. Can you talk about how he handled this emotion and the occasion?

Arteta: I don’t see any difference. He’s always super relaxed before games and always has a big smile on his face. He was eager to compete and I didn’t notice any difference. Maybe he felt something inside, obviously; he'd been there for a long time. It was a very strong emotion and gratitude towards Palace and today was a very special game for him.

In a weekend where several managers mentioned the way goals were scored, goals from set pieces and long throw-ins, does it make you happier that you were able to score in such a way today?

Arteta: Well, scoring goals any way makes no difference. I think they all have the same value. We clearly noticed a shift. When the physical confrontation increases and the methods used become more efficient, the game becomes more difficult because you can compress the space because you are physically stronger and you are better at confrontation. You have to find ways to score goals in different ways and that's what I think everyone is trying to do.

Today, the spotlight was on Eze, requiring him to perform in front of the fans and teammates of his former club, and he did it with a wonderful goal. That's not easy to do, right?

Arteta: Yes, it is not easy. That's exactly what great players do, and he's certainly a great player, and hopefully it'll be a big boost to his morale and confidence and allow him to create more of these moments, because these are the kind of moments that sometimes define a season.