Richard Buxton: Stay far away from Arsenal job, Mikel Arteta

Manchester City's visit to the Emirates yesterday morning (Singapore time) was supposed to be an opportunity to try and convince Mikel Arteta that Arsenal's vacant hot seat should become his next port of call.

Instead, the Gunners did their best to dissuade their former midfielder from a return to his old stomping ground with their comprehensive 3-0 humbling at the hands of Pep Guardiola's side.

City assistant manager Arteta was interviewed to be Arsene Wenger's successor last year, but lost out to compatriot Unai Emery, who was sacked late last month.

British media reported yesterday that Arsenal power brokers Vinai Venkatesham and Huss Fahmy had a 2½ hour meeting at Arteta's home.

This, after the 37-year-old was given a ringside view of his potential future as a Kevin de Bruyne-inspired City carved open their hosts inside two minutes and continued to twist the knife.

They were not alone; inglorious former club servants got the ball rolling before a ball had even been kicked.

Bacary Sagna fired a warning shot to his one-time Arsenal teammate, by branding their erstwhile employers as "a big circus".

It is difficult to argue against that when no other club in the English Premier League appears more culturally rotten, both on and off the pitch, than the north Londoners presently.

Undoubtedly, the lightning rod for all that is currently wrong within the Emirates Stadium rests with Mesut Oezil.

More wayward political activist than on-field passenger these days, the former Germany international could not resist causing yet another diplomatic incident.

A pre-match social media outburst at China's alleged mistreatment of the Uighurs sparked widespread controversy, but Arsenal fans have seemingly tuned out from Oezil's shtick, judging by the indifference which greeted a glove-kicking tantrum after he was substituted.

He was not even afforded the level of evisceration reserved for Granit Xhaka in the weeks which preceded Emery's eventual departure.

A smattering of boos barely registered.

The damage was done a long time ago by the continual indulgence of the former Real Madrid playmaker.

OEZIL'S CONTRACT

Handing the 31-year-old a reported £350,000-a-week (S$632,000) contract last year was done supposedly out of fear of appearing weak by losing a mercurial talent on a free transfer.

Yet, they allowed Aaron Ramsey to join Juventus without putting up so much as a fight.

That lack of stomach for meaningful battles is a recurring theme with the modern Arsenal.

City experienced it first-hand as they ran amok, with de Bruyne brilliantly leading the charge.

Had Ramsey been convinced to tough it out, their midfield would at least have been far less passive than Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira proved against Guardiola's charges.

Arsenal's caretaker manager Freddie Ljungberg can be forgiven for wanting to avoid a poisoned chalice in the long-term.

Winning just once in all competitions since Oct 24 is form more befitting of relegation candidates than those seeking a Champions League return.

Even scraping a fourth season in the Europa League would be a step too far for a club who remain wedded to the chaos theory.

The Emirates has unquestionably devolved into a cauldron of toxicity, but the rise of apathy is far more damaging for a club firmly in the grip of a terminal drift.

Ljungberg's understandable apprehension to follow in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's footsteps by transforming his caretaker role into a permanent one should tell Arteta all he needs to know.

Arsenal should not be the first step of a burgeoning coaching career. It will be his downfall.