Arteta conflicted as Arsenal eye benefit from Man City ban
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he still only wants the very best for former employers Manchester City, despite the fact that a European ban for the English champions could supply the Gunners a route into next season's Champions League.
A 4-0 make an impression on Newcastle on Sunday lifted Arsenal up to 10th in the Premier League, but just six points adrift of Tottenham in fifth.
City's two-season ban passed down by UEFA on Friday means fifth will be adequate to secure a Champions League place unless the champions flourish in overturning that sanction at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Arteta, who left City to take his first senior managerial role at the Emirates in December, could now be the beneficiary of his former club's punishment.
"It's very difficult. I'd like the best for Manchester City, the very best for Pep (Guardiola) and the players. The one thing I'd like for them is positive and good things," said the Spaniard.
"I just want to do for Arsenal the very best I can."
Victory was just the next in eight league games since Arteta took charge and there is a good amount of encouragement for the 37-year-old in Arsenal's second half performance after an all too familiar subdued first 45 minutes.
"We talked prior to the game that we wished to turn draws into wins," added Arteta after a run of six allures eight games.
"The first half it had been a bit slow, however the way they play with low block, you can aquire frustrated. We improved much more in the next half."
Explosive Arsenal
Arteta handed Eddie Nketiah his first Premier League start up front at the trouble of the out-of-form Alexandre Lacazette.
The 20-year-old missed his big chance to create a direct effect when he hit the bar from Nicolas Pepe's cut-back within an explosive start to the next period from Arsenal.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang showed his young apprentice how exactly to pounce before goal as he rose highest to power home Pepe's floated cross on 54 minutes.
One of the revelations of Arteta's early days in control has been Bukayo Saka's performances as a makeshift left-back.
No Arsenal player has generated more goals than the 18-year-old this season and Saka nutmegged Valentino Lazaro before teeing up Pepe to fire home the hosts' second from close range.
"He takes responsibility, he takes risks in the ultimate third. He is a new player who wants to make an impact, he has courage," said Arteta.
Newcastle have scored just 24 goals in 26 league games this season and their insufficient a goal threat was obvious because they chased the overall game in the ultimate half hour.
But Steve Bruce was most disappointed with their defending because they conceded twice more in the closing stages.
"The goals were gave away were not like us, it had been too easy," said Bruce. "We did not start the half like we should've done. We have been sloppy and distributed awful goals."
Lacazette replaced Nketiah 5 minutes from time and made an enormous impact to give his confidence a much-needed boost.
Firstly, the Frenchman crossed for Mesut Ozil, whose tame shot squirmed through Martin Dubravka's grasp.
Luck then shone on Lacazette to get rid of a nine-game goal drought as his right-footed shot flicked off his left foot and flew in to the top corner in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
