Arsenal boss Arteta: Pochettino like a father to me

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta will face the man he once called a father figure.

Arteta is going head to head against Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino on Tuesday.

The Gunners know they must win if they are to retain hopes of winning the Premier League.

Asked if Pochettino was an influence on his career, Arteta said: For sure.

One of the most, I would say. I was 17 or 18 years old in Paris, I was thrown into Paris and it was in January, I think, with no experience of professional football and he doesn't like me saying it, but he was like a father to me.

He took me under his arm, he gave me incredible advice, he really helped me, he inspired me and I learned so much from our two years there together and, from there, we maintained that relationship.

I knew he was going to be a coach, I admire him a lot for what he's done in his career and he's always someone that I look to because he was really impactful for me probably at the most important stage of my professional career.

It was the beginning and it was one as a role model that I could not pick anybody better than him."