Arsenal warmed up for their glamour friendly with Rangers with a surprise defeat to Scottish Premiership rivals Hibs at Easter Road in their first game of pre-season.
The Gunners went 2-0 down to Hibs as they kicked off pre-season after Martin Boyle and Daniel McKay had the Hibees with a two-goal advantage by the 70th minute.
Aston Villa-linked Emile Smith Rowe would pull one back in the 82nd minute but Hibs held out for an impressive pre-season victory that no-one will be getting carried away with we’re sure.
Rangers are next up for Arsenal and promise a stern test at Ibrox for returning manager Mikel Arteta, who played for the Gers between 2002 and 2004.
Arteta’s status as the north London club’s boss is one of the many connections between the Gers and the Gunners and the Spaniard is very excited to be returning to Ibrox for the first time since he left the club.
“Very much [looking forward to going back to Ibrox],” said Arteta [Sky Sports].
“It’s so special. I haven’t been at Ibrox since I left, so for me it is going to be really special.
“It is a shame that we’re not going to have a big crowd, but a special day for me for sure.”
The Gunners will be in town this weekend as part of the Ibrox club’s 150th anniversary celebrations with the Gers and the Arsenal sharing historic links going back to the early 1900s.
Legendary Ibrox manager Bill Struth was a close friend of legendary Arsenal boss Herbert Chapman with friendlies commonplace in days gone by.
The Gers also purchased shares in Arsenal during a time of financial uncertainty in 1910 before the Gunners rewarded Rangers with even more as a thank you 20 years later.
These were sold during the Craig Whyte regime over 100 years later, something which upset ex-Ibrox manager and club legend Ally McCoist at the time [Guardian].
Rangers might also be in front of the cameras this weekend after the Gunners signed a deal with a streaming giant to document their season.
