Mikel Arteta tells fans to stop watching Premier League if they want to be entertained

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Mikel Arteta admits that any fan wanting to watch entertaining football needs to tune into a different country - and the Premier League needs to change its rules if it wants to bring back eye-catching games.

The Arsenal boss has had to field criticism of his team's methods, notably their reliance on set pieces. They have proved hugely effective and the win over Chelsea on Sunday saw the north Londoners take their total of goals from dead-ball situations this season to 16.

It has helped them establish a five-point lead at the top of the table, but the optics have divided opinion with some claiming the Premier League is less entertaining as a result of the rise in set-piece importance.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has said other European leagues offer greater entertainment value than England's top flight - putting that down in part of the use of set pieces - and Arteta admits he agrees, but that won't change unless rules are tweaked.

The Arsenal boss said: “I would like to play with three extra players in my half to get some beautiful football and always play against a free man. You want to watch that football, you have to go to a different country because in the Premier League, for the last two or three seasons, this is not the case.

“It’s going to be a different game unless we change the rules because the evolution of the game is that. Four years ago it was a completely different game.”

Arteta stopped short of claiming which rules need to be altered if the Premier League is to ramp up its entertainment value. The Arsenal boss admits teams have been able to halt their opponents in open play, partly through the rise of man-to-man, rather than zonal, defending. Conversely Everton boss David Moyes wants referees to take a harder line on the grabbing and wrestling that has become common in the penalty area.

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Arsenal are trying to outlast Manchester City in the title race and Pep Guardiola believes the Gunners won't be seen as lesser champions just because their style doesn't please everyone.

"I'm pretty sure the manager is happy and the players are so happy," he said. "And I'm pretty sure you ask all the Arsenal fans and they will say 'don't change one second our set pieces. They have the feeling when it goes to set pieces, wow, I'm going to score. I'm pretty sure all the teams will want to create that vibe.

"So, enjoyable or not? Maybe, I'm not [in agreement] with the people saying 'no, that the league is not good this season, the winner will not be good'. I don't agree."

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