As I will always give my honest opinion in the next few days, I will be accused of being negative as I dissect our chances of getting a result at the Etihad.
What’s been interesting is the contrast in attitudes of how certain ex-players turned pundits are approaching Wednesday night.
It’s no coincidence that those who were proven winners such as Gary Neville and Roy Keane feel Arsenal should be positive and excited about their current situation.
Neville said Sir Alex Ferguson would ask his squad, would they take needing to win one match to be champions, no matter how hard the game?
Form and history suggest Man City should beat us comfortably, but if the Gunners approach this as a cup final, does form go out of the window?
If our players approach this as the game of their lives and embrace the chance to become immortal, then who knows.
It remains to be seen if we have enough leaders to believe we can win against the Champions.
This time last year the majority of this squad were crippled by fear of failing to make top 4, so this would be some leap.
Yet there have been moments in our past where we did indeed have those characters to deal with adversity.
The one thing we have that City doesn’t is history, and we need to draw on the spirit of those who came before them.
Obviously, we won many finals, but this is more a countdown of moments where we showed grit and proved doubters wrong.
I have included the time frame that reflects my age so older Gooners feel free to add anymore to the list.
2016-2017 FA Cup Semi Final – Arsenal 2-1 Man City
This result completely contradicted our form with Arsenal often struggling in big games away from the Emirates, leading Mr Wenger to face a fan backlash for the first time since he arrived in England.
When Aguero scored, many Gooners feared the worst, but our manager showed he was still able to tactically adjust (something that was doubted).
To bring confidence to our defence he set up with a back 5 that got the best out of Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Rob Holding at the age of 21 produced what remains one of his finest performances.
2003/2004 Inter Milan 1-5 Arsenal
While things were going well domestically, in Europe Arsenal were in danger of elimination after picking up just one point from their opening three Champions League games.
A late Ashley Cole header at home to Kiev kept us in the competition by the skin of our teeth, but we still needed to win at the San Siro against the same opposition who had scored 3 at Highbury!
Thierry Henry produced a sensational individual performance making a mockery of accusations he went missing in the big games (yes that was a thing).
The Frenchman scored twice and assisted two goals to register one of our greatest European results.
Suddenly we were considered serious contenders to win the competition.
2019-20 FA Cup Semi Final – Arsenal 2-0 Man City
In his first season as a manager Mikel Arteta out thought his mentor.
Tactically, we restricted Man City to one shot on target and were clinical on the break, with Aubameyang converting two of only the 4 chances we had.
A 2-0 win with only 29 per cent of possession had some Gooners wrongly assuming that our manager had Pep Guardiola’s number.
This proves though our boss can defeat his teacher.
2016-2017 FA Cup Final – Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea
A week before Arsenal failed for the first time under Mr Wenger to finish in the top 4 and lost Koscielny, Mustafi and Paulista to injury and suspension.
It meant we had to face the Champions with Per Mertesacker making his first start of the season marshalling rookie Rob Holding.
The German surpassed expectations to such an extent that this showpiece is referred to as the ‘BFG Final’.
Proof that Rob Holding has the mentality to deliver in the big moments.
1993/94 European Cup Winners’ Cup final Parma 0-1 Arsenal
Oh, how I wish every Arsenal team had the mentality this version did in this Final.
With Ian Wright suspended and an injury hit midfield, the Gunners were the underdogs against a Parma side which included the likes of Zola and Asprilla.
We relied on our famous back 5 to protect the lead given to us by Alan Smith.
Defensively it was a superb tactical performance by the whole team. A vintage 1-0 to the Arsenal.
Remains our most famous night in Europe.
If only we had this mindset for next Wednesday.
2010-11 Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona
The moment Arshavin hit the back of the net, just for a moment it seemed the glory days were returning to North London.
In that moment we were top of the Prem, in the Final of the Carabao Cup and still in the FA Cup.
Arsenal had shown great resilience to stay in the tie at 1-0 down and were clinical when their few chances arrived.
In truth though, there was always a high chance that if Barcelona had the same possession stats in the second leg that we would be in trouble.
After Birmingham stunned us in that Wembley Final, our season fell apart including a 3-1 drubbing in the Nou Camp
2005/2006 Real Madrid 0-1 Arsenal
This would be Mr Wenger’s first season in English Football where he failed to finish in the top 2 since his first full season.
The irony being the year where he first truly struggled to qualify for the Champions League, would be the year, he so nearly lifted it.
We were made underdogs in the round of 16, purely based on the famous names Real Madrid possessed …. Zidane, Figo, Beckham, Carlos, Raul, Ronaldo, etc.
We had our own Galactico with Thierry Henry running through their defence to make us the first English side to ever win at the Bernabeau.
Unsung heroes included Senderos’ best performance as a Gunner, and Flamini playing as a makeshift left back.
2001/2002 Man United 0-1 Arsenal
Days after winning the FA Cup, Arsenal knew a draw at Old Trafford would be enough to secure the Championship.
Given the rivalry between the two clubs it was the dream scenario, a chance to take United’s trophy from them on their own turf.
Our only other victory at the Theatre of Dreams in the Prem era had also been part of a Double.
In the history of this fixture, this was perhaps as comfortable as we had even been, with you never sensing the point we needed was in danger.
Wiltord got the only goal, keeping up our unique record of scoring in every League match that season.
1997/1998 Man United 0-1 Arsenal
Such was their lead at the top of the table some bookmakers had already paid out on Man United retaining their title.
As the champions began to drop points though, Arsenal was quietly putting a winning sequence together.
It was hard to guage how serious our challenge was though, as it depended on us winning several games in hand.
Sir Alex Ferguson played mind games by publicly reminding us of this, only if we won those matches would we be deemed a threat and his stance was we wouldn’t handle that pressure.
So, when the two faced each other, the Gunners had a chance to put their destiny in their own hands (although we still have those games in hand).
The issue was we hadn’t scored in the Prem at Old Trafford let alone won any of them.
Alex Manninger and Overmars had their best games in our colours, the Dutchman scoring a famous goal which led to iconic celebrations.
We wouldn’t drop points again until we were officially champions.
Who will be our Overmars next week in Manchester?
1988-99 Liverpool 0-2 Arsenal
Perhaps the closest comparison we have to the task we face at the Etihad.
If anything, this was a harder task with us needing to win at Anfield by 2 clear goals, a stadium we hadn’t won at in 15 years!
We have been accused this week of bottling the title race, but our recent slump is nothing compared to what we went through in the 89 run in.
At one point we were 11 points clear at the top of the table, losing to Derby and drawing with Wimbledon, missing the chance to seal the Championship before the Liverpool fixture.
When the Champions beat West Ham 5-1, suddenly their goal difference was superior.
With game management we need to prove we have next week, George Graham was content for the game to be goalless at half time, convincing his players that if we got the first goal at any point, the Kopp would go nervous.
That’s what happened after an Alan Smith header in the 53rd minute.
As the clock ticked down, Barnes didn’t keep the ball in the corner, giving it away to allow Lukic to launch one last attack.
Steve McMahon famously told his teammates there was one minute left for Liverpool to hang on.
Michael Thomas wrote himself into immortality.
Dan
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