Arsenal played their best football so far under new boss Mikel Arteta on Sunday and they overwhelmed the Newcastle side at 4-0. However, amid the celebration that followed, there was one noticeable absence - Matteo Guendouzi was nowhere to be found, and it was later confirmed he was dropped from the match.
The order came from Arteta, and the Spanish boss made the decision to discipline the 20-year-old midfielder. It was reported the two had a spat while the Gunners were training in Dubai during the mid-season break.
"Sources close to the club confirmed that Arteta was left disappointed in Guendouzi's attitude after a heated row on the training pitch," Goal reported.
It was understood that the row was not resolved immediately. The report added the tension remained high even after the training.
Unsurprisingly, Arteta decided to exclude from Arsenal's starting XI last Sunday, which marked the first time the youngster did not figure in a Premier League game since joining up with the Gunners. There will be no further disciplinary actions that Guendouzi will face, but his return to active play is now put in question.
According to former Arsenal hero Charlie Nicholas, Guendouzi being seen on the pitch for the Gunners again will depend on how he will make personal adjustments to fit with the managing style of Arteta. Nicholas noted that under the new coach, the former Lorient star has only seen two starts.
The young Frenchman will need to sort things out, or he will be sidelined indefinitely with Arteta calling the shots at the Emirates, Nicholas warned.
"Mateo Guendouzi has done well, but he is not moving on at the minute ... He has upset Arteta, who wants him fit and he will not be there until he sorts himself out," Metro reported the Gunners legend as saying.
However, getting back to the grace of Arteta will not be that easy for Guendouzi. For one, he will need to gain back the trust of his manager, and after that, he will need to prove he is worthy of a spot on the first-team.
The latter task, according to Goal, could prove a bit difficult as another midfielder, Dani Ceballos, has returned to active play, and Arteta was impressed with the Spain international.
The playmaker figured prominently in the preparation maneuver that allowed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to score a goal at the start of the second half.
"Dani Ceballos is a good example. He was injured and when he started to train I didn't think he was fit enough. He completely changed his behavior and trained like an animal. I thought he was the best player on the pitch," Arteta said in praising Ceballos.
