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Why Julen Lopetegui isn't on touchline for West Ham vs Arsenal as Premier League rules explained

Julen Lopetegui manager of West Ham
-Credit: (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)


Mikel Arteta will be the only manager on the touchline when Arsenal face West Ham in the Premier League. The Gunners travel to the London Stadium for the Saturday Night Football as they look to close the gap on Liverpool and Manchester City in the table.

Arsenal are currently in fourth place in the Premier League standings, level on points with third-placed Chelsea, one behind Man City in second and nine adrift of leaders Liverpool.

Arteta and Co. take on a West Ham team that won 2-0 away at Newcastle last weekend after going back-to-back games without scoring a goal in the top flight.

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The victory for the Hammers at St James' Park also saw their manager, Julen Lopetegui, receive a yellow card after he protested a decision in the first half. The booking was Lopetegui's third caution of the season, which means he will serve a one-game touchline ban in the Premier League, which will be against Arsenal.

Despite not being on the touchline for the clash at the London Stadium, Lopetegui has explained why he has confidence in his players to perform well against the Gunners without him on the sidelines.

"The players that are on the pitch is always most important," Lopetegui told reporters on Thursday. "Players ready to help the team and to be able to compete against one of the, in my opinion, best teams in the Premier League.

"So we have to be ready. I am not going to be in the dugout, and maybe I have to improve my way because I have three yellow cards, but it's done.

"I am passionate. And sometimes you try to say something, or how you act, or you make an action with your hands. Sometimes you do suffer [a yellow card]. But always, I try to have respect for the referee."