Mikel Arteta lost his tooth against Hull City last weekend – but Arsene Wenger believes it has improved his look.
Arsenal had something of an easy run-in last weekend – as they trounced their FA Cup final opponents Hull City 3-0 at The Emirates to keep themselves ahead of Everton in the race for the final Champions League spot.
But while most players enjoyed an easy ride – it was a rather painful one for Mikel Arteta.
He managed to get into a massive collision with Hull striker Shane Long – the force of which was such that one of his front teeth was dislodged from his mouth and hurled into the air.
It was caught on camera – and his team-mates were predictably unforgiving – with Lukas Podolski taking to Instagram:
A real man fights for every tooth;)#tough #afc #dentist#instafun #poldi #aha
But Arsene Wenger thinks he looks a lot better now.
“He got it back, in fact he looks better now! I like Mikel Arteta because of his quality, his focus, his commitment and his winner’s attitude. I have big respect for what he has achieved this season. He is very conscientious, very professional and he has a couple of years left [at the top].”
The Spaniard has come into criticism in recent weeks for his lacklustre displays but he certainly put his body on the line against Hull – and Wenger will continue to utilise the former Everton midfielder for the foreseeable future.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
