Vieira will return to Arsenal on Monday night but will be the manager of the opposition team Crystal Palace in their Premier League encounter.
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Two former Arsenal captains will be going head to head on Monday when Crystal Palace travel to Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal. Former club legend Patrick Vieira will return to Arsenal on Monday night but will be the manager of the opposition team Palace in their Premier League encounter. Calling him a “club legend”, Arsenal’s current manager Mikel Arteta only had good words to describe the Frenchman. “He is an Arsenal legend and I hope he gets the reception he deserves for what he did for the club, not only as a player but also what he transmitted as a person,” Arteta said in his pre-match press conference, according to their club’s website.
“He was a captain of the club in the most successful era in the last many years and it is great to have him back. Recognising him the right manner, I think it’s really important and I’m sure that that will be the case. Well, he has already a couple of experiences [as a manager] and he knows the league really well. You can see the touch that he is trying to put in the team and the things he is trying to implement there.
“Obviously, Patrick knows the league much better probably than any other manager because he has experienced it himself as a player and it’s great that he’s had the opportunity to do that.”
Speaking about how Vieira might set up Palace, Arteta said, “I don’t know how they are going to set up, they have done it in different ways and have used different players in – most of the time – similar formations. So let’s see how the game develops.”
Arteta then opened up about Aaron Ramsdale’s positive start to life in north London with the Gunners. He elaborated: “We tried to make a decision as a club to sign and bring in the right profile that we believe he had all the qualities needed to succeed at the club. It’s very early to make a judgement of how good he is, but the way that he’s settled and what he can transmit on and off the pitch I think is really important. He has engaged and he has adapted really well to the club. I think he’s getting a very good connection as well to our supporters and he’s performing well, which is the most important thing.
When asked if Ramsdale could challenge Jordan Pickford as England’s No 1, Arteta replied, “He needs to keep performing like what he’s done and always try to think about what he’s doing right, and then continue to do those things, be humble and think about the things he can improve.”
“Then, everything will come naturally, as has already happened very early on with him, to be a goalkeeper with his age and his career. He deserves that because of how he’s handled every step along the way. Some of them have been difficult moments and disappointments, which are important as well to evolve in your career.”
Arteta was then asked if their promising attacking midfielder Emile Smith Rowe needs to add more goals to his game. The manager explained: “I think the intention, the hunger and the ambition should be there. He’s capable of doing it. We want to ask players [to do] things they can achieve, and I’m sure Emile can improve that part of his game. He’s so willing to do it. He’s working on it almost every day and he’s asking the right questions. He’s getting better because he has a real hunger.”
