Manchester City assistant coach Mikel Arteta has hailed the quality of Newport boss Mike Flynn.

The pair did their UEFA coaching badges together.

Arteta remains thoroughly impressed by the 38-year-old Welshman, as does Pep Guardiola after Newport ran his Manchester City side close in a 4-1 FA Cup fifth round defeat back in February.

He told The Sun: "What Michael shows above everything is that he is a true leader. All the great managers have that quality and it is what makes the different to the rest. We see it, of course, in somebody like Pep, but it is also there in Michael.

"It does not matter at what level you coach and manager. What matters is that you inspire your players to improve.

"You show them understanding and humanity and it is these qualities, just as much as the ability to coach, that tells me Michael will one day be manager at a big club."

Newport meet Tranmere Rovers at Wembley for the League Two playoff final.