Arteta Has Been Stung By COVID-19 Again, Cannot Accompany His Foster Children In The Match Against Man City

JAKARTA - Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was forced to miss the Premier League match between his team and Manchester City this Saturday after testing positive for COVID-19.

This is the second time that COVID-19 has bothered Arteta after Arsenal's match against Wolves on 28 December was canceled due to Wolves being hit by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Arsenal were without Calum Chambers, Cedric Soares, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ainsley Maitland-Niles in their 5-0 win over Norwich City on Boxing Day after a number of players tested positive for COVID-19.

"Mikel Arteta will miss the match against Manchester City on New Year's Day after testing positive for COVID-19," Arsenal said as reported by the ESPN website, Thursday quoted by Antara.

"Mikel must self-isolate in accordance with Government guidelines and we wish him well."

Arteta is the next manager to miss a Premier League game after Steven Gerrard and Patrick Vieira were also forced to leave Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.

The Spaniard previously tested positive in March 2020, shortly before the pandemic forced the Premier League to be suspended for more than three months.

Arteta spent three years with Manchester City as Pep Guardiola's assistant before becoming Arsenal head coach in 2019.

Mikel Arteta will miss our match against Manchester City on New Year's Day, after testing positive for COVID-19

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 29, 2021