Mikel Arteta ‘gets the Jose Mourinho treatment’ as humiliating loss to Brighton KOs title hopes
MIKEL ARTETA had to sit and endure Roberto de Zerbi do a Jose Mourinho after Arsenal’s title dreams were crushed.
Goals from Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinian secured Brighton a shock 3-0 victory at the Emirates.
And it was the late final goal that led to Seagulls boss De Zerbi racing down the touchline to celebrate.
Mourinho famously did the same as his then Porto team beat Manchester United in 2004 on their way to lifting the Champions League.
And when asked about it afterwards, De Zerbi said: “Mourinho is a great manager but I have this character. This passion is my own.”
Reacting to the kneeslide, one fan commented: “De Zerbi doing his Mourinho touchline run impression at the Emirates.”
Another tweeted: “That Mourinho esque knee slide from De Zerbi…I can’t stop thinking about it.”
A fellow fan wrote: “New Mourinho in the town.. De Zerbi !!”
While another said: “De Zerbi just reminds of young Mourinho same attitude and arrogance.”
Sunday’s result means Manchester City will be crowned champions if the Gunners lose their next game at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
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Meanwhile Brighton are sixth and just four points behind fifth-placed Liverpool with a game in hand.
Undav revealed afterwards that their Italian manager had shown the squad a video of Basketball legend Michael Jordan following last week’s surprise 5-1 home loss to Everton.
De Zerbi said: “The most important part to improve is the mentality.
“The defeat against Everton started when we won against Manchester United.
“We didn’t forget the victory but now against Newcastle we have to forget we played in Arsenal’s stadium and we won there.
“Otherwise, we will lose at Newcastle. One hundred per cent.”
Speaking after the setback, Arsenal boss Arteta said: “I hate the feeling of letting people down when they are expecting something. That’s the biggest regret I have today and I have to apologise for that.
“What the team has done over the last 10 months is very different to what anybody expected and that generates a lot of expectation as well enthusiasm, happiness and joy.
“That’s something that has to be managed in the right way. We have the responsibility to make sure the team performs and I am responsible for that.”