Arsenal back-up keeper Matt Turner has hailed Mikel Arteta - but admitted he wants to be playing more games for the Gunners.
Turner arrived at the Emirates Stadium from the New England Revolution in the summer, but is still yet to make his Premier League debut. Instead, the American has filled the role of back-up to Aaron Ramsdale, with his game time coming in the FA Cup and Europa League.
He has been forced to watch Arsenal's Premier League campaign from the bench, with Ramsdale in impressive form between the sticks. But Turner has insisted he is not growing frustrated with Arteta and is instead focused on matching Ramsdale in training to push for the playing time he craves.
"He is a super respectful person. He has love not only for the players but also their families and their wives and kids. He goes up to them after games, he shakes their hand, looks them in the eye and gives them a hug and a kiss," the keeper told CBS.
"It makes your family feel a part of the success as well. He’s done a great job of creating a [positive] atmosphere. I’m not the type of person who takes their job lightly. I want to be playing every single chance I can get.
"I show up to training with the right mentality. I work really, really hard to improve in the areas I need to. I’m trying to compete to get onto the field. I think Aaron Ramsdale and I have become better goalkeepers from challenging each other.
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"Obviously, he is having a great season and is making big saves in big moments. I can’t really complain with where I stand but I am working really, really hard. I hold him accountable and he holds me accountable. We’ve been developing a close relationship which has pushed us both forward."
Turner has had a mixed time when called upon by Arteta, with his mistakes in the first leg of Arsenal's Europa League last 16 clash against Sporting Lisbon seemingly costing him his starting spot for the return fixture.
The Gunners were knocked out of that competition on penalties by Sporting and were also defeated in the FA Cup clash against Manchester City, which he started. Going out of those tournaments means that he is unlikely to make another appearance this season.
Despite that Arteta has been pleased with the American during his first campaign with the club. Following a win over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League group stages, Arteta hailed Turner as being "phenomenal".
“He is improving, he’s getting better, obviously we’re asking him different things from what other managers have asked him to do. He was much better in the first half than in the second half in my opinion," he said.
"We could have had some more control. But I think he was phenomenal in the goal in situations especially when defending the area in behind the centre halves, and in the one-against-one situations he was really good.”
