Mikel Arteta brushed off accusations that he is too cautious in major matchesA defiant Mikel Arteta has hit back at critics who have claimed his “handbrake tactics” are threatening to derail Arsenal’s bid to win the Premier League. Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher both accused Arteta of selecting a cautious team following Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Emirates on Sunday. Addressing criticism that he approaches big matches with the handbrake on, Arteta said: “Surprised? Arteta confirmed on Tuesday that the England international faces a period on the sidelines with a knee injury. A thing of beauty ✨ pic.twitter.com/CQtPWzZgt0 — Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 22, 2025Arteta continued: “I respect everybody’s opinion but when I saw everything and I watched it back and all the stats, I was surprised.