Ahead of his side’s match against Arsenal on Sunday, Leeds manager Jesse Marsch has called his counterpart Mikel Arteta the most underrated manager in the Premier League.
Arteta has experienced plenty of highs and lows since taking over the Gunners in 2019. The Spaniard led the team to an FA Cup win in 2020 but has also been unable to finish in the top four and bring Arsenal back to the Champions League.
But the Gunners are off to a flying start this season, topping the Premier League table after eight wins and one loss in their first nine games.
“Mikel Arteta has done an amazing job, I think he’s the most underrated manager in the league,” Marsch said at his pre-game press conference. “With a young team he’s done an amazing job. It’s taken time, he took a lot of heat in the beginning.”
Marsch added his belief that Arsenal was a genuine title contender despite the incredible early-season form of Manchester City, which is just a point behind.
“You have to say yes, they’ve looked very strong and played against good opponents,” the American added. “I always do a thorough job of scouting, we know they’re a good team and they have quality. I also like when teams and coaches improve and grow together, I think that’s what’s happened with Arsenal. To be back at the top of the table shows they’ve been able to find a process and stuck with it.”
Though his Leeds side has gone four straight league games without a win, Marsch said he’s still confident in his team’s chances at home on Sunday.
“For us it can be a big boost to have a big result against an opponent like this,” he said. “We’re confident at Elland Road we can play the way we want. We want to challenge them in certain ways.”