Mikel Arteta has revealed he deliberately delayed transport and meals, removed massage beds and made the changing rooms hotter to challenge his players during pre-season.

The Arsenal boss has previously turned heads before with his training-ground methods as he bids to keep the champions one step ahead of the pursuing pack. 

Arteta was famed for his use of speakers in training (not just blasting 'You'll Never Walk Alone' before a 4-0 defeat at Anfield in 2021), bringing in team dog Win and once hired 'pickpockets' to keep his team alert at all times.

The Arsenal boss revealed his latest attempts to challenge his players and staff after the Gunners were caught up in the air traffic control chaos this week, which led to thousands of flights being delayed and cancelled.

Their trip to Naples for their Champions League opener was among those affected on Tuesday, but the Gunners eventually travelled and secured a 1-0 victory over Napoli.

'I love those challenges, I try to create them in pre-season. So when they happen, we already experience them and we already know,' Arteta said.

'So get to the stadium very late, change the routine and suddenly the players have to do something else. Because when it happens, and it can happen, you can miss the flight, the train can be delayed, there's so much traffic and I don't want the players, but not only the players, the staff as well, panicking. 

'When that happens, adapt to it. Okay, we have another two or three hours on the plane. How can we use them, play together, spend some time together, sleep? 

'Use it, but certainly don't complain and then use it as an excuse because that's not helpful at all.'

Arteta expanded on how he challenged his players and staff this pre-season, adding: 'Just delaying the meals, delaying the transport, taking a different route.'

'We've done many things, made the dressing room hotter, more difficult, more challenging, less beds. 

'Those kind of things, I think, in my opinion, because we're going to have to adapt to different contexts, and we'll try to anticipate it and create the best possible conditions. 

'But when there is not that element of surprise or stress on matchday, I think it's important.’

Arteta's unusual methods have been dismissed by some in the past but the Gunners boss ultimately succeeded in delivering the club's first title in 22 years last season.

Arsenal are currently joint top of the Premier League heading into an away trip to Sunderland on Saturday night.

Only Arsenal and Man City boast a 100 per cent winning record from their opening three league matches of the campaign.