Mikel Arteta has responded to Roy Keane's bizarre claim that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 'disrespected' the Arsenal boss by calling him by his first name after their 1-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday.
Aubameyang scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the second half and praised Arteta during his post-match interview with Sky Sports, using his first name to refer to him.
Keane was not impressed with the Arsenal captain addressing his manager by his first name, suggesting it showed a lack of respect towards Arteta.
"They didn't show him respect when they called him by his name, Mikel," said Keane.
"He's the manager, the boss, the gaffer. That's respect. Not Mikel, he's not his mate."
When asked by Sky Sports presenter David Jones if it was simply the modern way to refer to your boss, Keane answered: "No, that's called respect."
Arteta responded to the claim ahead of Arsenal's Europa League match with Molde on Thursday, insisting that he understands Keane's point of view but doesn't feel 'disrespected' having shared the dressing room with several members of the current squad.
"I was told that Roy mentioned that. I don't know. I think it's something very particular. I give them the choice to cal me however they are comfortable with," said Arteta.
"Some of them shared the dressing room with me. For me, I don't feel disrespected. I understand why he's [Keane] is saying that as a player.
"The way I feel with them, I feel so close with them, some of them we even played together. For me it's not an issue. It's not the way I would feel respected or disrespected."
The former Manchester City assistant coach admits he had reservations about entering a dressing room as a manager where he already knew many of the players from his time at the club.
"It's something that before I joined I was a bit concerned with and at the moment I'm not.
"Because it's not something that just has to come with me. it's something that both parties have to understand respect and go about the relationship in the same way.
"To be fair they made it really, really easy for me in that sense.
"Obviously the feelings for them I have won't change whether I'm on one side or another because we are part of the same thing but it's not been something difficult to manage."
