It may only be four games into the Premier League season, but Arsenal and Manchester City are already beginning to set the pace.
The Gunners maintained their perfect league record with Saturday evening’s hard-fought 2-0 victory away to Sunderland, while several potential title rivals dropped points elsewhere.
Manchester City then responded on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, leaving Arsenal and City as the only two Premier League clubs with 12 points from 12.
Arsenal take advantage as rivals stumble
While Arsenal had to work extremely hard for their victory at the Stadium of Light, getting three points on the board became even more valuable following results elsewhere.
Liverpool were held to a goalless draw by Fulham at Anfield, while Chelsea needed an equaliser to rescue a 2-2 draw against newly-promoted Hull City at Stamford Bridge.
Tottenham also failed to win, drawing 0-0 at home to Everton.
Arsenal therefore did exactly what champions need to do: win their own game while others around them dropped points.
It certainly wasn’t straightforward against Sunderland.
David Raya’s penalty save proved crucial before substitute Bruno Guimarães scored his first Arsenal goal, with Bukayo Saka’s late penalty eventually securing the 2-0 victory.
Manchester City refuse to blink
Any hopes Arsenal had of opening an early advantage over Manchester City disappeared on Sunday afternoon.
City faced Manchester United at Old Trafford and were reduced to ten men during the first half when Phil Foden was sent off.
Despite that setback, Erling Haaland struck after the break to secure a 1-0 victory and maintain City’s own perfect Premier League start.
It leaves Arsenal top of the table on goal difference, with both sides taking maximum points from their opening four matches.
Nobody should be talking about a two-horse title race after just four games, of course.
There is an enormous amount of football still to be played and Liverpool, Chelsea and others will have plenty to say as the season develops.
But Arsenal and City already appear determined not to give each other much room for error.
Arsenal just need to keep winning
Perhaps the most encouraging thing about Arsenal’s start is that the Gunners have found different ways to win.
Not every performance will be comfortable or spectacular, and Sunderland provided a very different challenge to some of Arsenal’s earlier opponents.
Yet Mikel Arteta’s side found a way through it and returned from the Stadium of Light with another three points.
Four games. Four victories. Twelve points.
Manchester City are keeping pace, but for now Arsenal remain exactly where they want to be – at the top of the Premier League, as befits the reigning Premier League Champions.
Are Arsenal and Manchester City already looking like the teams to beat this season, Gooners, or is it far too early to draw any conclusions from the opening four games? Let us know in the comments below.
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City very lucky today, not because they didn’t play well they did. But more corruption 🤣🤣 VAR got it completely wrong for the offside. The linesman was correct but to turn it over, is ultimately 100% a VAR error.
I couldn’t believe how MU was playing up a man. You would’ve thought City130 had the man advantage. I know the players have to perform but I may have given Carrick too much credit.
good game great win, Instead of complaining MA would
do better by just smileing and get on with it.. he is becoming boring and monotoneous in interviews..
You could point to Arteta’s complaint because we won. He can as well take the point without venting! his frustration but what if we didn’t win, would you have said the same?
So we should just accept the mistakes made, smile and carry on accepting the corruption of the rules within our game then?😂😂
Definitely it’s far too early to draw any form of conclusion on who the league’s torch-bearers are. There is lots of football to be played, and, twists and turns are surely going to catch up with both us (Arsenal) and Man City. But, we delight in what we’ve done thus far. Moreso, we’ve corrected the Aston Villa and Sunderland mistakes of last season. Let’s keep going Gunners, one game at a time!