Ancelotti reveals reason for Arteta handshake snub after Everton defeat to Arsenal
When Everton travelled to the Emirates Stadium to take on Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, it was expected to be a rather good-natured affair.
Gunners manager Mikel Arteta is a former Toffees favourite, a quality midfielder who served the club with distinction.
There was even talk that he might’ve been appointed as Marco Silva’s successor at Goodison Park, although that job ultimately went to the far more experienced Carlo Ancelotti.
The Spaniard, of course, readily took charge of another of his former clubs, Arsenal, and led them to a 3-2 victory over the Blues on Sunday.
Given all the warm feelings and ties that bind these two clubs, it was somewhat surprising to see that there was no post-match handshake between the two managers.
There had been no real clash between staffs during the game, although things got scrappy between the players towards the end of the first half.
However, Ancelotti has now shed some light on the reason why no handshake occurred between him and Arteta.
“He [Arteta] was celebrating with the others, I said hello here [in the tunnel],” he explained, as per the Liverpool Echo.
Is this an issue?
Not really, no. It was certainly a surprise that the two managers didn’t shake hands at the end, for all the reasons listed above.
However, things like this happen sometimes in the heat of close games when one side clinches a result over the other.
Arteta was understandably delighted that his side got an important three points against a rival for European football.
But the two men still embraced and had a quick chat after the match had ended, so no harm no foul.
In other Everton news, a BBC Sport man has been raving over the physical transformation of one Toffees star.