Next Sunday, following a busy run of games which would’ve witnessed Arsenal play twice in four days, they’ll be involved in a crucial encounter versus Manchester City who are eyeing up a fifth consecutive Premier League title.
After four Premier League matchday’s Arsenal sit second in the table on ten points, two behind Pep Guardiola’s men in first (12).
The Gunners have secured three wins in four matches with the most frustrating result being a 1-1 draw against Brighton, seeing Arsenal concede two points from a leading position.
This is why The North Londoner’s are second in the table instead of on joint points with City at the top.
Arsenal have the chance on Sunday to go top and above City with a win at the Etihad, however if they lose they’ll be in a worse situation and forced to play catch up to the blue side of Manchester, perhaps for the rest of the season. Manchester City don’t look like a side again this campaign who will drop too many points, in fact they lost only three games last season, two less than Arsenal with five.
A draw wouldn’t be too bad, keeping the current points difference intact and retaining Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the season, although I’m sure most fans would prefer the three points than not!
The Etihad has not been an easy playground for Arsenal for nearly the past decade, since Arsene Wenger’s side beat Manuel Pellegrini’s City 2-0 in 2015. This was the last time Arsenal knocked the Citizens down on home soil, highlighting the fact that since Guardiola took over in 2016 City have never lost to The Gunners who have warranted four managers in that time at the Etihad!
If Arsenal are to turn this fact on its head and go on to snatch the title from City this season at last, they need to get on top of their opponent from the start and clinch victory on Sunday. Especially considering the league was lost last campaign by the current two point deficit, which could be enough to defy The Gunners campaign again.
But hopefully not!
Sam P
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If we lose, it would be a normal result because Man City are too perfect
If we draw, it would be a very good result
If we win, Arteta would be a genius
Am not losing a minute sleep on this one, the law of average dictates the time is right to replace the old guard.
I hope you’re right. However, a common definition of “the law of averages” suggests that “…the “law” usually reflects wishful thinking or a poor understanding of statistics rather than any mathematical principle.”, so it may not be quite as strong an indicator as we all hope.
In any case, I suspect that the “law” would have worked, if it worked at all, against City winning four titles consecutively because no team had done that before.
We may soon start losing matches with narrow margins like 1-0 because our forward line has become so impotent. We must address this before playing city coz it definitely won’t be easy.
It’s a shame that our team has no one who can effectively fill in for Havertz as C.f,Saka and Odegaard.
For now,I think we have no option but to put Saka in Odegaards position. He is the only one with the technique and industry that can match Odegaard. Havertz can’t distribute the ball while Trossard loses possession so easily and has no gas to even last an hour playing at high tempo.
Martinelli needs to be benched, it’s time Sterling gets a run on the left and see if he merits to stay there.
Gabriel Jesus is another big disappointment.But we can do with his energy running out wide on the right wing.He doesn’t justify why he is the second highest paid player at Arsenal.
Partey, Rice and Jorginho are similar players,they make our midfield super slow when we play them at the same time.
With that in mind,my Opinion is that Arteta should be looking at the below lineup for the city game.(4231).
Raya
White Saliba Gabriel Timber
Rice Calafiori
G.Jesus Saka Sterling
Havertz
I agree with you mate, but let’s keep faith with this team,we will get the result at the Ethihad.we will grind out the result we need.our defense will do the needful.sterling and Jesus will prove the difference
Stirling may, hopefully, make a (if not “the”) difference, but it will take quite a transformation from the “Atalanta Jesus” for him to do that in my opinion. You never can tell though; we’ll only know on Sunday.