Arsenal look like title contenders more than ever before،
MANCHESTER, England – The points were split, but one point was made.
Arsenal are used to leaving the Etihad Stadium bruised and battered by an annual reality check that has created an inferiority complex about Manchester City. But Sunday's 0-0 draw gives the Gunners tangible proof that their self-belief has been rightly earned and that they have what it takes to go the distance in the Premier League title race.
If the end of the season is about avoiding the mistakes of last year for Mikel Arteta's side, then here's a positive way to start. Having lost an eight-point lead since the start of April 2023, Arsenal arrived at the Etihad and were taught a harsh lesson in a 4-1 defeat that all but restored the natural order of things with City once again pre-eminent.
This time the Gunners put safety almost excessively first, but that approach was understandable: Arsenal haven't won at this ground since January 2015, and often since then they have been blown away at half-time. Not this time.
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Manchester City had their chances. Nathan Aké wasted a chance as Kevin De Bruyne's corner in the 15th minute found him in the penalty area. Erling Haaland missed his spot-kick late on following another De Bruyne delivery in the final six minutes. But despite 72% possession and 198 completed passes in the final third compared to Arsenal's 43, City finished with just one shot on target.
It was the first time in 58 matches that City had failed to score at home – a statistic Arteta revealed in several interviews afterwards. It was also only the 11th time in Pep Guardiola's 459 competitive appearances that City had one shot on target or less in a match. Arteta has been responsible for three – no other manager has managed it more than once. The apprentice has learned well from the master.
“It generates confidence,” Arteta said of Arsenal’s stoic performance. “It continues our momentum and the good position we are in. The fact that the boys are here and they want more and they are individually demanding of themselves saying, 'I could have done better , I didn't do it as well.' like in training”, it shows how much the boys want it. We will do our best to continue what we are doing.
“We're getting better, we're competing better and we're understanding how to compete in these games. There's another step to winning championships and that's you have to win. Today we were able to draw and We still have to improve a lot to win.”
Arsenal were unable to capitalize on the strange, threatening moment. Gabriel Jesus failed to respond to Bukayo Saka's cross in the 52nd minute and Leandro Trossard was unable to find his compatriot Gabriel Martinelli four minutes from full time when City were caught at the back. But a resounding victory would have been tough on Man City, who held on throughout, even though they lacked their typical power.
While Arteta has gradually improved Arsenal's record against the Premier League's traditional big clubs, City had the better record last season, with 21 points, with the Gunners second on 19. But this draw extends a decline significant City in these big games this term.
City have only beaten Manchester United (home and away) this season and, after taking six points from Arsenal last season, they can only count Sunday's lone point against the Gunners, 12 months on .
There was perhaps a feeling that Guardiola would not be too upset by a draw, given the defensive vulnerabilities exposed by influential absentees including Éderson, Kyle Walker and John Stones. City dictated the pace of the match but did not risk everything, perhaps unconsciously building on their record of crossing the finish line first in the final two months of the campaign.
Nonetheless, Guardiola is resorting to what might be called “mind games” by insisting that City are third favorites after a weekend in which Liverpool moved two points clear at the top thanks to in their 2-1 victory over Brighton at Anfield.
“First is always the favorite, second is Arsenal and we are third,” Guardiola said. “It's not in our hands. All we can do is think about (next opponent) Aston Villa. If you are top of the league, as we have been before, you are favourites.
“They defend very well, low block, solidarity. It's not easy to break them. We take one point, nine games, we see what happens.”
Arsenal's attacking numbers have grabbed the headlines in 2024, but their defense has been a key improvement on last season. Arteta is surely aware that the 43 league goals scored last season was too high a figure: title winners have conceded an average of 32.1 goals since the Premier League began in 1992.
The absence of William Saliba is widely cited as one of the main reasons for Arsenal's failure last year, and the evidence continues to reinforce that point. On Sunday, the Frenchman and Gabriel Magalhaes were excellent in central defense, nullifying Haaland impressively and frustrating the prolific Norwegian to the extent that heated words were exchanged at full time.
It remains to be seen who will have the last word in the title race. Liverpool have the lead, City have the pedigree but Arsenal look better placed than before to stay in the conversation until the very end.
