Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta lavishes praise on familiar foe David Silva ahead of FA Cup semi-final

Mikel Arteta believes his Arsenal team will be up against one of the best players he has ever seen when they face Manchester City and David Silva in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday.

Arsenal manager Arteta worked with Silva during his time as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at City before leaving for London last Christmas.

Silva leaves City after ten years at the end of this season and Arteta said on Friday: ‘What he has done is incredible.

Mikel Arteta (right) worked with David Silva (left) when he was assistant at Manchester City

Now Arteta is preparing his Arsenal side to combat the threat City and Silva pose on Saturday

‘The level of consistency of his play and the amount of assists and goals and chances he creates every single season has been amazing.

‘All this in tight spaces against teams playing low, low blocks. Time and time again. I think in short spaces he is the best player I have seen.’

Arsenal lost 3-0 at City in their first game of Premier League restart and their record against the recently deposed champions is poor.

‘Like any other team they have some weaknesses but we also have to try to stop their strengths,’ Arteta added.

‘They have lots of those!’

Arteta is well placed to speak about Silva having played and coached against him 

Having said in midweek that he needs money to strengthen his squad this summer, Arteta was at pains to say that it was not an attack or ultimatum to his board.’

‘That was not how I meant it to be interpreted,’ he said.

‘Because of the situation [with Covid 19] at the moment, there are a lot of situations that are unresolved. But the club is being supportive. There are no gaps between us at all.’

Arteta said that Mezut Ozil – frozen out of his team recently – has been training this week but did not indicate whether the German would return to his squad this weekend. 

He also reiterated that he wants striker Alexandre Lacazette and utility player Ainsley Maitland-Niles to stay at the club.

Asked about the government’s news that fans will hopefully be back in stadia by October, Arteta said: ‘We are desperate to get people back in and make football what it should be again. But we have to be patient. It will have to be gradual but the sooner the better.’

Arteta reiterated his desire to keep Alexandre Lacazette at the club this summer