Manchester United caretaker boss Michael Carrick has been full of praise for the job Mikel Arteta is currently achieving with his Arsenal side, ahead of the encounter between the two teams.
Arteta has overseen just one loss in the last three months, with the Gunners climbing to fourth in the table and further cementing their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League this season.
However, with United now under new management with Ralf Rangnick set to take over this weekend against Crystal Palace, Carrick has commended the Spaniard's work so far, paying homage to the way he has shaped his current group of players.
''I think he's done a very good job at Arsenal and you can see they're going in a certain direction and been pretty strong with that," the 40-year-old told United's official club website.
"So credit to him for that and it'll be interesting to see how they get on for the rest of the season.
''He was a terrific player, very technical, and that’s the way his teams plays and obviously the way he has coached them in that style shows what type of player he was.''
Arteta faced Carrick many a time during their time playing days and also touched on the rivalry the two teams shared during their infamous battles whilst competing at the very top of the Premier League - warning that his team were up for the big game.
''There have been some classics over the years," he added. "I’ve been involved in some and watched from afar before I even got here. So, yeah, there’s always been a special feeling around this game and an edge around the fixture.
''The boys are looking forward to it, we’re looking forward to it, these are the big games you want to be involved in, and obviously we’re trying to come out on top."
