Mikel Arteta has apologised to Liam Rosenior after the Chelsea boss accused Arsenal of a “lack of respect” in the build-up to their Carabao Cup tie.
Rosenior had publicly voiced his frustration ahead of the match, believing Arsenal’s approach and messaging around the fixture showed insufficient respect to Chelsea. His comments quickly became a talking point before the two sides met in the cup.
After the tie, Arteta moved to calm the situation and revealed he had spoken directly to Rosenior to clear the air. The Arsenal manager said he did not want any misunderstanding to linger and made it clear there was no intention to disrespect Chelsea or their head coach.
The matter centred on how Arsenal handled aspects of the occasion, which Rosenior felt crossed a line. Arteta, however, insisted he holds Chelsea in high regard and wanted to make sure Rosenior understood that.
By reaching out privately, Arteta aimed to draw a line under the issue and restore a more respectful tone between the two managers following the cup meeting.
