Premier League managers beware. It has emerged that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been wearing the same clothes on the touchline since their 4-2 win against Aston Villa on February 18.
Arsenal, who sit five points ahead of second place Manchester City in the Premier League title race, are just 13 games away from lifting their first league since 2004.
They will try and maintain their healthy lead at the top against Bournemouth on Saturday following a dominant 4-0 win over Everton on Wednesday.
And like that game against the Toffees this week, Arsenal boss Arteta will do all he can to keep their incredible run of form going, including wearing the same jumper, trousers and shoes.
So why does he do it? Speaking to The Telegraph ahead of this weekend’s game against Bournemouth, he opened up about his superstitious nature.
“I am a very methodical, routine person,” he said.
“When we are winning, I don’t like to change my clothes, I like to maintain exactly the same jumper, trousers and shoes as before. If we lose, I change to something different.
“They’ve given me the opportunity to do what I love most, in the club that I absolutely love, respect and admire. I love what I do, every day.
“So when I have some doubts, or feel pressure, I just come back to that: How do you feel about what you do? And it doesn’t get any better than this.”
Since Arteta’s comments emerged, Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil played down being superstitious himself and joked he won’t go anywhere near the Spaniard at the Emirates this weekend.
“Maybe just don’t go too close to Mikel if he hasn’t changed his clothes for a while,” he laughed.
Arteta, meanwhile, has urged his players to control their emotions during the Premier League title run-in.
“When you look at them every day you can feel how much they want it, how much they want to please our people,” he said after the win against Everton.
“We just need to focus on what we can control and let the rest happen naturally because it is nothing else anybody can control.”
Thoughts on Arteta’s superstitions?
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