The upcoming game between Manchester City and Arsenal is highly anticipated. Both teams have strengths and very few weaknesses from a manager’s perspective.
Arteta’s Arsenal Under Pressure
Mikel Arteta may not have the same experience or trophy record as Pep Guardiola. He must remind his Arsenal team that they are where they are because they have been the best team in the Premier League this season.
Arteta has been extremely positive in the media recently, despite Arsenal’s poor form. He will likely have been the same on the training pitch and in the dressing room this week, giving positive vibes to his players and reminding them of their strengths.
The crown sometimes lies heavy on the team who carries it. At the moment, that seems to be the case with the Gunners.
Guardiola’s Tactical Shift and City’s Resurgence
Pep Guardiola appears to have been revitalised. At the end of last season there were times he seemed tired, and even early on this season he did not look or sound his usual self.
Since his signings in the January transfer window, when Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi arrived from Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, his team have regained that ‘X-factor’. City had been written off by all the experts in the media and they would love to throw that back at them.
Pep won’t ever change his way of playing possession football, but what has come back in vogue at City in recent weeks is their players in wide positions, what I always called ‘leg-beaters’.
By that, I mean the kind of fast and skilful players who continuously work the opposition defenders for 90 minutes by running at them, or past them. They give you the quality you need to take people out of the game and break the opposition down.
City’s Attacking Options
In the past, Riyad Mahrez was always such a great outlet to provide that for Pep’s City teams but now they have two fantastic players in those positions, which I believe has changed their fortunes.
With Semenyo and Jeremy Doku in the team, alongside Rayan Cherki, who also has the ability to take opponents out of games, City are frightening teams again.
- Antoine Semenyo
- Jeremy Doku
- Rayan Cherki
They have always been possession-based under Pep.
Title Race Implications
Make no mistake City would be desperately up for taking over their hold on the title. Given their recent success, they would be very comfortable as front-runners.
Since his arrival at City in the summer of 2016, Guardiola has won six Premier League titles, one Champions League, two FA Cups and five Carabao Cups.
Mikel Arteta has won only one major trophy since taking charge of Arsenal in December 2019, the 2020 FA Cup.