Dimitar Berbatov has backed Mikel Arteta to be a success as the next head coach of Arsenal so long as the Spaniard succeeds where Unai Emery failed in making the Gunners a solid unit in defence.
According to the retired former Fulham, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur striker, the incoming boss at the Emirates Stadium should be an exciting appointment given the years he has spent learning under Pep Guardiola.
The ex-Arsenal captain also worked under Arsene Wenger for five years before hanging up his boots to join the Manchester City coaching staff.
He will leave the Etihad Stadium having won two Premier League titles as an assistant manager under Guardiola, and last season completed a unique domestic treble of wins including the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup.
Emery was relieved of his duties as head coach at the Emirates in November after a woeful run of results and a lack of evidence that his side were developing the exciting brand of football expected of the club.
Berbatov faced Arsenal many times as a player with Spurs and then later United and Fulham in the Premier League, and he believes that Arteta can bring back to the style to his old rivals and secure results.
"He has had a great apprenticeship with one of the best in the game, Guardiola," he told Bet Fair. "He must have picked up something during his time with Pep.
"I'm pretty sure he'll have some good knowledge of that side of the game and he will implement it along with his own vision.
"Based on this, I think that time will help him as a manager because he has had that excellent start working with Guardiola.
"Now if he can put what he has learnt into work at Arsenal, it will benefit him and the team, not forgetting of course, he was part of the Arsenal team back in the day so he knows the club in and out."
Tactics and training will only go so far according to Berbatov, however. Arteta will also have to build a greater bond between the dugout and the dressing room to rely on his players to justify his methods with wins.
"His success will also come down to the players," said the Bulgarian, who also believes that the Spaniard may take a different path to his predecessors over his team selections.
"You need to be yourself, both mentally and physically strong to get into the challenge, but the manager must identify which kind of players he wants to build the team around and with.
"Then based on that, you can guess what kind of a philosophy and style he has and wants to play."
Berbatov is not expecting Arteta to play against type at Arsenal and even if he will have to adapt his ambitions to the players available to him fans should still expect to see a positive style of play from their team.
"Being with Guardiola for so long, and knowing how Arteta liked to play when he was a midfielder, I think he will go for a style of play where his team passes and keeps the ball and possession," he said. "Similar to what Guardiola is doing.
The key to making that approach competitive will be the mentality of the team and their resilience at the back - playing to keep possession can be a defensive tactic in its own right to deny your opponents the ball, and with the chance to attack.
"If he can implement a toughness in Arsenal, which they need right now for sure, that will help them."
Unfortunately for the Gunners and their hopes of playing out of the back, their defenders have been found to be error-prone in recent years, undermining plans to keep possession and build momentum.
Cutting out the mistakes and giving Arsenal the determination and steel they lack will be key for Arteta if he is to succeed.
