Mikel Arteta has stepped in after Christos Tzolis inadvertently leaked Arsenal’s team news for their clash with Liverpool last weekend.

Kai Havertz’s 16th-minute goal was enough to secure all three points for the Gunners as Arteta’s side turned chaos into control in a hugely impressive defensive display in the second half.

The result means Arsenal are now three points above Manchester City at the top of the Premier League having won eight and lost one of their opening nine games of the season as they look to retain their title.

Tzolis made a surprise return to the starting lineup, but the Greece international – who signed for the club in a £34m move from Club Brugge in the summer – signposted that return by putting himself back in his Fantasy Premier League team, Tzatziki FC.

Riccardo Calafiori was also an injury doubt for the game but was retained by Tzolis and started; as did Ezri Konsa, who was also kept in Tzolis’ XI.

According to NowArsenal, Arteta has now taken action to ensure his team news isn’t leaked in similar fashion in future.

The Gunners boss has reportedly decided against stopping players and staff from playing the game altogether, instead banning them from including any Arsenal players.

The report states:

‘The new restriction is straightforward. Anyone connected to the club who plays Fantasy Premier League is expected to field no Arsenal players. The measure is designed to protect squad confidentiality going forward.’

And Tzolis has responded by taking himself, Calafiori and Konsa out of his team, as well as Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw, out of his side. He has transferred in Adrien Truffert, Cole Palmer, Virgil van Dijk, Rayan Cherki and Maxim De Cuyper in their place.

An Arsenal staff member who plays the game has also reportedly taken all Arsenal players out of their FPL squad.

Arsenal can increase their lead at the top of the Premier League as they welcome Hull City to the Emirates on Saturday before Manchester City travel to Nottingham Forest for the late kick-off.

The players are set to jet off to represent their countries following the game and Arteta is keen to avoid another defeat ahead of an international break after they went into the last one on the back of a shock 3-0 loss to Brighton.

“We want to attack the game tomorrow, right from the off,” Arteta said. “We know the momentum we have right now, and we need to increase it, especially going into the international break, because we know what is coming after.”