The two North London rivals are set to go head to head in the Premier League on Sunday.
As the Australian prepares his team for the Gunners, he believes the club projects are entirely separate.
He told reporters: “Different clubs, different environments. I've said before there’s obviously a way to build a team and a club, going in a certain direction. It's about finding the right people for the right positions.”
On battling Arsenal for the title, he added: “Not specifically Arsenal – we want to be a club that challenges everyone. That's what we want to become. I think we're in a good place to push on from last year. There’s no reason why we can’t (challenge) this year.”
And on the challenge of facing the Gunners, he concluded: “Approach, mentality. The last two years they’ve had a real relentlessness about them. They have this confidence in themselves that they can challenge over the course of the season. They’re going to be a tough nut to crack, but it’s a great opportunity for us.”