Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has said there is no lingering tension between him and Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler ahead of their Premier League meeting on Saturday.
The two managers were involved in a war of words last season after Brighton suffered a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Amex Stadium in March.
Hurzeler had criticised Arsenal’s approach, claiming that “only one team tried to play football” and accusing the Gunners of “making their own rules”.
With Arsenal returning to Brighton this weekend, Hurzeler was asked whether he stood by his comments.
The German maintained his position while praising Arsenal for their title success.
“I think it’s very important that in football there are opinions,” he said.
“I will definitely always share my opinion if I am asked. But, in the end, I congratulate Arsenal for being deserved champions. They deserved it.”
However, Arteta played down the previous disagreement and insisted that he has no problem with his Brighton counterpart.
“That’s all done. That’s all in the past,” the Arsenal manager told reporters.
“I have huge respect for Fabian, and what he’s done and what Brighton has done as a club.
“It’s just remarkable, and tomorrow is going to be a beautiful game to watch, I’m sure.”
Arsenal have opened their Premier League title defence with four consecutive victories, putting them at the top of the table.
They have also defeated Napoli in their Champions League opener and advanced to the League Cup fourth round after beating Ipswich on Tuesday.
Teenage midfielder Max Dowman was among the standout performers against Ipswich, scoring twice on his first appearance of the season.
The 16-year-old is now pushing for more opportunities after beginning the campaign as an unused substitute.
Asked whether Dowman had been making a case for increased playing time, Arteta said the teenager must continue to prove himself on the pitch.
“The best way to knock on the door is to do it on the pitch, not in the office.
“Then you just leave out the arguments. When a player delivers constantly on the pitch, every single day in training, that’s the best way, that’s the best signal for the manager.”
Arsenal have now won seven straight matches, including the Community Shield victory over Manchester City.
A win at Brighton would see them match the club’s 123-year record for the best start to a campaign.
“We know how complicated it is to win a football match at this level. So, to win seven, it tells a story,” Arteta said.
“After the World Cup, there were a lot of unknowns about how the players and the team were going to react. We didn’t have any time with them to work together.
“But I said from day one, the attitude and what I was seeing, I was really impressed with. Then you have to put it down to performances.”
Meanwhile, Arteta remains relaxed about his future at Arsenal despite not yet signing a contract extension.
Talks have continued for several months, but the Spaniard said he is confident an agreement will be reached when the timing is right.
“I think we are all very much aligned; whenever the time is right we’ll get that done. There is nothing to be concerned about,” he said.
