Mikel Arteta claims Arsenal used 43 different formations against Man City in passionate defence of his tactics

Arsenal host Manchester United this weekend in the standout Premier League fixture before the first international break of the season.

The Gunners were at the summit of the top flight for much of last season and looked on course for their first Premier League title in nearly 20 years, only to be overtaken eventually by the juggernaut that is Manchester City.

Arsenal have strengthened this summer through the additions of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber, as they aim to go one step further this campaign.

United meanwhile have added to their ranks too, signing Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount, Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana, Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund, Altay Bayindir from Fenerbahce, as well as Sergio Reguilon on loan from Spurs.

The two sides, who have had one of the fiercest rivalries the Premier League has seen, especially during the late 1990s and early 2000s with legendary bosses Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger at the helm of United and Arsenal respectively, lock horns again this Sunday at the Emirates Stadium in a 4:30pm kick-off.

The Gunners are only a point ahead of United at this early stage of the campaign and whichever side wins will be able to open up a slight advantage in the table.

Arsenal began their season at Wembley with a penalty shootout victory over City at Wembley in the Community Shield.

Getty)

Speaking ahead of this Sunday's big clash, Arteta was quizzed on his side's formation and how the Gunners might set up when taking on United.

And the Arsenal boss revealed the number of ways his side can play, saying the Gunners had 36 different formations for the 2-2 draw against Fulham and a remarkable 43 in the Community Shield victory over City.

In a passionate defence of his side's tactics, the Arsenal boss responded to a journalist's question in true Mikel Arteta fashion, as you can see in the video below.

As per football.london, Arteta said: "I think we discuss formations in a different way. In the other day there were 36 different formations in the match (against Fulham).

"Against Manchester City 43. I don’t know what formation we’re talking about. For me it’s something very different maybe from the ways that you look."

Explaining why he has so many formations up his sleeve at Arsenal, Arteta used a peculiar analogy about how he gets to Arsenal's London Colney training base and how his journey can change based up circumstances of any given day.

He said: "Every morning I come from my house to Colney. Sometimes I leave at six and I need to go to the windscreen because it’s icy.

"At six o’clock normally I go Finchley Road and then the A21 because it’s faster. Now Finchley Road is 20 miles per hour so sometimes I take a back door. But then I go on the M25.

"But depending on if it’s a school ride I take one exit. If it’s after seven o’clock I take a different exit and then I go.

"One day I have a flat tyre, what do I do? Maybe I have to replace it because there’s a garage there. So every game is a different story guys. A different story."