This time last year, Arsenal travelled to Manchester City with all the odds backed against them. They saw their Premier League title tilt slip through their fingers in 90 minutes despite spending months on top of the table.
A dominant City team outfought, outmuscled and outclassed their title rivals by tweaking their game. Long balls to Erling Haaland against a helpless Rob Holding saw Pep Guardiola’s side run out 4-1 winners.
Fast forward to this weekend, the Gunners are a different breed. Mikel Arteta’s tactical changes on the pitch have nurtured the north Londoners into a better team and the quality throughout the team sheet is of a greater standard.
Last year, there was little confidence going into the game. This time round, there’s a real belief that Arsenal could, at least, come away from Manchester on Easter Sunday with something.
Having already beaten Man City earlier this season and avoided defeat to Liverpool in their two meetings, Arteta’s side have shown their ability to compete with the best teams. But Sunday’s game is a completely different kettle of fish due to the severity of what any result will mean.
Win and Arsenal will become the favourites to lift the title in May. A draw is, perhaps, the better result for Liverpool and losing at the Etihad would more or less give City a free pass to have one hand on the trophy.
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Just like the last visit, the title will still be in Arsenal’s hands, but nobody will believe in them. “If Arsenal get beat, I don’t see how they can win the league,” Jamie Carragher recently said. It’s hard to actually disagree with the ex-Liverpool man, City are already enjoying a 22-game unbeaten run and have shown no signs of stopping.
However, Arsenal simply won’t have a better chance of winning at Man City. Guardiola’s side are worse off from the international break with John Stones and Kyle Walker being forced off with injury for England. Arsenal haven’t lost in the league since the last day of 2023, scoring 33 times in eight games. The confidence is flowing within Arteta’s side and they know three points on Sunday will put them in a good stead for the final stretch.
Man City may be the favourites for many, but Arsenal have doubters to prove wrong, goals to reach and a title to win. There’s more than three points to play for on Sunday and the Gunners simply aren’t going to have a better chance of edging towards the Premier League title.
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