{"id":2399,"date":"2026-04-13T07:42:46","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T07:42:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/?p=2399"},"modified":"2026-04-13T07:42:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T07:42:46","slug":"i-played-for-man-city-but-im-praying-mikel-arteta-wins-the-league-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/?p=2399","title":{"rendered":"I played for Man City, but I&#8217;m praying Mikel Arteta wins the league | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"436\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1221675437.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27121137\" alt=\"Manchester City and Arsenal Club Crests\" decoding=\"sync\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Manchester City and Arsenal are battling it out for the Premier League title (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Bacary Sagna insists his heart remains with Arsenal despite his divided loyalties and hopes the Gunners pip Manchester City to the Premier League title. <\/p>\n<p>The tussle to be crowned champions of England looks set to go down to the wire after Arsenal\u2019s lead at the top of the table was cut to six points over the weekend following their defeat to Bournemouth and City\u2019s win over Chelsea.<\/p>\n<p>But Sagna remains confident that his former teammate Arteta is the right man to get one of his former clubs over the line.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Mikel Arteta is the man for the situation Arsenal are in right now,\u2019 Sagna told Ladbrokes at the launch of \u2018Ladisfaction\u2019. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018When you see that Arsenal have finished second for the past three years, anyone who has played in the Premier League knows how difficult it is to maintain that level, and keep fighting for titles, over such a long period of time. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018Man City, for those first couple of seasons, were out of reach, due to the depth of their squad. Arsenal have been able to build up slowly and add depth with every transfer window, and this is why they\u2019re now in the position they\u2019re in.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2270901475.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27956093\" alt=\"Arsenal v Bournemouth - Premier League\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Arsenal slipped to defeat against Bournemouth (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018In previous years, if one player from the starting eleven was injured, it would have a huge impact on the team, and on results. But now, there is cover in every position, and so much quality on the bench. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018The team is so good, and that\u2019s down to Mikel. He started with Edu, and he built this team into what it is today, and got the club challenging again.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I\u2019ve witnessed it up close, because I was travelling with the team in pre-season. I can tell you, regardless of what\u2019s going to happen between now and the end of the season, Mikel is going to remain the manager in charge of the situation, and he\u2019s going to have a long streak with Arsenal.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I\u2019m praying for him to win the league this year, honestly.\u00a0He deserves it because of the way he treats people. He treats people equally and gives people opportunities. Whether it\u2019s on or off the pitch, he gives people the chance to bring something else to the game.<\/p>\n<div class=\"metro-poll\" id=\"1776064397654-27925357\" data-option1=\"Arsenal\" data-option2=\"Manchester City\" data-url=\"https:\/\/api.metro.co.uk\/polls\/v2\/\" data-track-module=\"poll\">\n<h3 class=\"metro-poll__title\">Who will win the Premier League?<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"metro-poll__list\">\n<li data-option=\"option1\" class=\"metro-poll__option\">\n<\/li>\n<li data-option=\"option2\" class=\"metro-poll__option\">\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card accent--sport\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card__inner\">\n<h4>Sign up to In The Mixer, your guide to the week in football. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk \u2013 sign up, it\u2019s an open goal.<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u2018He has a human side that not many people have. Pep (Guardiola) has a human side too, even when people are criticising him, Pep has a big heart. But Mikel is the same.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Sagna made 213 Premier League appearances for Arsenal after he was signed by Arsene Wenger from Auxerre in the summer of 2007.<\/p>\n<p>During that time he established himself as one of the Premier League\u2019s toughest right-backs and was part of several sides that came tantalisingly close to glory. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"430\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-491774107.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27925522\" alt=\"Arsenal v Hull City - FA Cup Final\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Bacary Sagna was part of the Arsenal team that won the FA Cup in 2014 (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"502\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-141194840.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27925544\" alt=\"Arsenal v Newcastle United - Premier League\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Bacary Sagna and Mikel Arteta were teammates at Arsenal for three years (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The former France international did end his time with the Gunners by playing a part in the team that ended a nine-year trophy drought by winning the FA Cup, before he moved to City on a free transfer. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018I have a lot of love and respect for both clubs (Arsenal and Man City). Of course, I am more Arsenal orientated, because I played there for seven years,\u2019 said Sagna, reflecting on his time at both clubs. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018I had a strong history with Arsenal, my kids were born while I was playing there, I also lost my brother while I was playing for them and they\u2019ve always been like a family for me and been nothing but supportive. So I\u2019m very affectionate towards Arsenal.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-641835094.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=646\" class=\"article-image wp-image-27122029\" alt=\"AFC Bournemouth v Manchester City - Premier League\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Bacary Sagna joined Man City from Arsenal in 2014 (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018But I also have massive respect for Man City. If I had to choose one of them to win the league this season, I might go for Arsenal, because Man City have won it so many times over the last few years, and it won\u2019t change anything for them, for me they will still remain the best team in the world over the past five years. So, I would like to see a change, and I would like to see Arsenal finally rewarded for a lot of hard work that\u2019s gone into the last few years.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Those fans have shown me a lot of love, and so I want to see them celebrating at the end of the season. And then I\u2019ll go back to 55% Arsenal, 45% Man City!<\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Gary Neville makes fresh Arsenal title claim after Man City destroy Chelsea<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Man City or Arsenal? Wayne Rooney makes prediction for Premier League \u2018title decider\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\"><svg><title>Arrow<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#common-right-arrow\" href=\"#common-right-arrow\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"mor-link\" data-track-module=\"mor-link_article\">MORE: Arsenal legend Paul Merson makes Manchester United title prediction<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom\"><a class=\"metro-button share-bar-comments\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Comment now<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-comment\" href=\"#social-comment\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span><svg><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title>\n<use xlink:href=\"#social-preferred-source\" href=\"#social-preferred-source\"\/><\/svg><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/section>\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card accent--sport\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-end-card__inner\">\n<h4>Football Newsletter \u2013 In The Mixer<\/h4>\n<p>Punchy analysis, transfer talk and more from Metro&#8217;s football experts, sent straight to your inbox every week.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Manchester City and Arsenal are battling it out for the Premier League title (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2400,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arsenal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2399"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2400"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}