Mikel Arteta says he was unaware of the criticism Arsenal faced for their celebrations after beating Liverpool 3-1, saying: “They (Arsenal staff) told me today so, I didn’t know anything about it. But I love it (celebrating).”
Alongside Martin Odegaard, they were accused of over-celebrating during the game. While Arteta high-fived fans by the dugout after Leandro Trossard made it 3-1, Odegaard took a photo of the club photographer.
“I’ve seen managers at the Emirates, away (at other stadiums) on their knees inside the pitch,” Arteta said. “I’ve seen very big managers going across the touchline in the Premier League.
“Personally, I love it because it brings such a passion and emotion to the game when it’s done in a natural and unique way. I think it’s great but it’s my opinion and other people may think something different.
“Last year we went through a lot of games with managers and teams celebrating a lot. It’s so tough to win in this league. For sure it was a big match for us and you could tell how much it meant from the (first) whistle. The stadium and the atmosphere was very different already. It was a great day.
“People are entitled to have their opinions when you do something publicly. Some of them will be positive, some of them not so positive. Our job is to accept all of that and then behave the way you think is the right way to behave and make sure we don’t lose that.”
