Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has now shared his honest opinion on Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou.
The pair will meet on Sunday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the final instalment of the North London Derby this season.
Tottenham know they are up against it if they are to land a spot in the top four with Aston Villa able to pull nine points clear tomorrow.
However, Ange Postecoglou‘s side have shown progression on what Spurs achieved last season with European football looking likely.
It may turn out that Spurs have to settle for Europa League football next season, but that would still be a major sign of the club moving in the right direction.
Games do not come much bigger than Sunday in north London and it seems there has been a lot said between the two managers.
On Friday, the pair have spoken in their respective press conferences with Arteta sharing his thoughts on the job Postecoglou has done this season.
Mikel Arteta says something Postecoglou has done is really impressive
Arsenal are also going into the game with a lot on the line as they look to keep up the pace in the race for the title.
But the work Postecoglou has done in his first season at Tottenham has been extremely positive.
The Australian has had to deal with numerous injuries, the sale of Harry Kane and the bedding in of multiple new signings.
Spurs may not quite be challenging for the title just yet, but the 58-year-old has admitted it is something he is targeting for next season.
Tottenham are sitting well adrift of the title race with 17 points separating the two sides going into the game on Sunday.
But it is all about progression for Postecoglou who remains in his opening year of the job.
It is not just the fans in north London who have been left impressed with the work of the Australian this season.
Speaking in his press conference on Friday, Arteta admitted he thinks Postecoglou has done a fine job with Tottenham so far.
“Really impressive with what he’s done. I’m not surprised. I’ve known him since he was in the Australian national team and in Japan I followed him as well,” he said.
“He’s always been super clear with a really clear direction and identity with how his teams play. I love the way his teams play so I think he’s been very good.”
What Ange Postecoglou had to say about Arsenal and Mikel Arteta
Despite this being one of the most fierce derbies in the Premier League, the two clubs were trading compliments on Friday in their respective press conferences.
And it may pain some Spurs fans to hear Postecoglou speaking so positively about Tottenham’s biggest rivals.
Speaking from his press conference at Hotspur Way, he said: “I think I’ve said before, it’s not a coincidence that the teams who have been up there the last two or three years are teams that have had a clear plan of what they wanted to do and stuck by it.
“Arsenal’s a great example of that. Mikel’s done an outstanding job, it’s been recognised by the club and they feel he’s the man to lead them forward and they’ve supported him ever since then. There’s a blueprint there, for sure, for every club.”