Mauricio Pochettino says the outcome of the North London derby won’t change his friendship with Unai Emery.
Arsenal set to host Spurs at the Emirates stadium on Sunday and Pochettino set to face his old friend for the first time in the Premier League. This is expected to be a crunch game as Arsenal are just three points behind third placed Spurs and a win in this match would help them in foraying into the top four.
Emery replaced Wenger at the start of the season and although the North London side are currently in a transition phase the French gaffer has made a brilliant start to the rebuilding process.
Emery knows Pochettino since his Valencia days and even recommended the Argentine for filling the vacant post when he left the Spanish club for Spartak Moscow. Although Pochettino went on to stay at Espanyol it was the start of a great bonding between them.
Pochettino said, “The opposite I think.
“Of course we are in different clubs and it is a derby we are going to play.
“In the moment we are going to compete, we are going to try to find the way to beat each other but before and after the game (we are) always very good friends.”
“I called Unai who was in Spartak Moscow and said, ‘Thank you very much for recommending me’. I chose to stay at Espanyol at the time,
“I am loyal
“You need to ask him (why he recommended me), I didn’t ask why. You need to say thank you and be grateful when a colleague — and after someone who became a very good friend (does that).
“It’s not usual that a manager recommends another manager when he leaves the club.”
