Mikel Arteta makes Man City Premier League title point to prove 'celebration police' wrong

Mikel Arteta has hit back at claims that his Arsenal side over-celebrated after their 3-1 win over Liverpool last weekend.

The Gunners were labelled 'immature' by Gary Neville who felt the the scenes at full-time were evidence of why Arsenal will not go on to win the Premier League this season. «I think those celebrations weren’t of a team that can win a title, they’re of a team that thought they’d be out of the title race,» Neville said on Sky Sports.

«That was the relief we saw at the end — I think Arsenal were a better team tonight but I actually think Liverpool are a lot more ruthless than this Arsenal side, they’re more ruthless in the final third and that could cost them in the end.»

Arteta though refuted this, claiming that his experience of winning multiple titles at Manchester City has taught him that there was no correlation between perceived over-celebration and immaturity. «If I think when I have won Premier Leagues somewhere else, the answer would be: ‘big no,'» the Spaniard said.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was also criticised by Jamie Carragher for taking pictures with long-serving club photographer Stuart MacFarlane after the match. Arteta insisted though that this was a sign of the unity at his club rather than a case of being caught up in the moment.

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«That’s something that happens because they have a relationship that comes from what they do every day here at the training ground,» he said in his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal's clash with West Ham. «People are entitled to have their opinions when you do something