Why Mikel Arteta is not on the Arsenal touchline for their crucial Premier League clash against Aston Villa

Arsenal face a stern test of their title credentials when they take on Aston Villa on Saturday evening. 

The Gunners sit top of the Premier League table after grabbing a late winner against Luton in midweek and travel to Villa Park to face their former boss Unai Emery. 

Under the Spaniard's management Villa have registered 14 consecutive home victories including a dominant 1-0 win over Manchester City on Wednesday. 

Arsenal will need to be at their best to topple Emery's outfit and they will have to do so without their manager Mikel Arteta. 

His assistant Albert Stuivenberg will oversee the game, while Arteta takes up a position in the directors box following his actions at Kenilworth Road.

Why is Mikel Arteta not on Arsenal's touchline? 

The Arsenal boss was shown his third yellow card of the campaign for his part in the jubilant celebrations of Declan Rice's last-gasp winner. 

Arteta hinted that he is being singled out for breaching his technical area with the rules not consistently applied across the league. 

'We are (allowed to celebrate) but I think we have a boundary. Maybe we have to extend.' He said in his pre-match press conference. We just need a very strong rope, or we don’t move. But it means we don’t move — all of us.’

When asked if other bosses have been invading the pitch, he commented: ‘This is why I say we.’ 

Who is Albert Stuivenberg? 

The Dutch coach will oversee the game in the absence of Arteta at Villa Park. Stuivenberg has previously worked with Louis Van Gaal at Manchester United. 

The 53-year-old also briefly had a stint with Belgian side Genk after leaving Old Trafford in 2016. 

From there Stuivenberg joined Wales in 2018, where he coached Gareth Bale, and then job-shared with the Gunners. 

He eventually made the north London club his sole focus in 2021 as Arsenal transitioned into a serious force in the Premier League.