Arsenal are set to travel to the Etihad when hostilities return in the Premier League next weekend. by AA
The result of the encounter could determine who wins the league, thus explaining the pressure ahead of the tie.
The Gunners have a horrible record at the Etihad with our last victory being in 2016 when we triumphed 2-0, courtesy of a goal apiece from Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud.
Despite this record, there is good reason to be hopeful ahead of Sunday’s clash and this is due to Manchester City’s record against the traditional big six they have faced at home this season.
The Citizens’ could only manage a draw against Liverpool, and trailed for 41 minutes against Chelsea before Rodri helped them secure a 1-1 draw.
A goal at the stroke of the normal regulation time from Dejan Kulusevski also denied them the maximum points against Tottenham.
The defending champions’ only victory against any of the top six that they have played at home this term was against Manchester United last month, coming from a goal down to beat their neighbors 3-1.
This means they’ve won just one out of the four games they have played against any of the big six at home this season which should encourage us ahead of the crunch tie.
Pep Guardiola’s side are also showing more vulnerability at the Etihad this season than they have in previous campaigns.
While they are yet to lose, they have dropped more points than they did last season and as much as they did two seasons ago, recording four draws out of the 14 games they have played.
Based on the foregoing, it is evident that the Citizens are not as dominant at home as they used to be in previous seasons.
Arsenal’s record against the big six and away record is another added reason to be hopeful ahead of Sunday’s clash.
We have not lost a game against any of the big teams this season, got maximum points against Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United at the Emirates and picked up a point at the Anfield and Stamford Bridge this season.
Our overall away record is also brilliant, as we boast the joint best away record in the division at the moment, losing just three times on the road.
Thus, there is a strong reason to be hopeful ahead of our meeting with the Citizens and coupled with the right mentality, the boys should be able to make us proud on Sunday at the Etihad.
AA
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looking at us rather than them, Arsenal are a very different outfit from last seasons equivalent fixture – which was a one sided thrashing by Man C for anyone with a short memory
why are Arsenal different, and why might that mean a different outcome this season?
mentality – we seem to have learned from last season and have a calmer but more steely feel about us
squad – deeper in terms of quality and more options/versatility
tactics – Arteta’s high press box midfield (Odegaard/Havertz pair #10s first layer, Jorginho/Rice pair #6’s second layer) has proven very effective at stifling elite opposition midfield and starving their attackers, e.g. Liverpool and Man C lowest xG 0.36 and 0.43 respectively
injuries – fully fit squad, virtually all available or close
fatigue – 19 days since our last match
so we have found a way to play against the Man City’s of this world whereas last year we were blown away 3 times, we have learned and improved in terms maturity and mentality, we have quality in every position on the field, and may be some big game players which we have lacked in the past (Ozil, Auba, Xhaka etc too often did not turn up when it mattered most)
and Man C are more vulnerable in defence this season, the Etihad lost some of it’s fortress feel
so yes, Arsenal in the best position in many years to go to the Etihad and get a positive result (i.e. not lose!)
We have got to prove ourselves against City away. It will be a very nervous and tough game as always but let’s not lose it. A draw should be the bare minimum if we serious about going all the way for the title.
We now need to move on to the next level. We can do it. I will be s massive psychological huddle that I believe would push us all thw way to the title.
Even if we beat City,it does not guarantee us winning the trophy; we have by far tougher fixtures than Liverpool and City . So ,it takes an extra ordinary run of form from our team to win the Epl trophy
Buchi
Liverpool have a tough run in
Everton, Fulham, West Ham away aren’t easy
Liverpool will win all those matches
Everton, Fulham, West Ham COMPARED TO OUR’s Man City, Man Utd, Tottenham
We have a tougher remaining fixture & to be sincere we won’t win any of those not even at White Hart Lane – unless their form crashes before we play them
With Man Utd, form doesn’t matter, they beat us the most when we’re on form even. Old Trafford is not a place we know how to win
Then let’s stop dreaming about winning at Etihad
As if it’s a kid we’re going up against – So Arsenal fans think they’ll go to the Champions home & beat them there
Let’s Remind Ourselves: we couldn’t do it against Newcastle, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, FC Porto
U don’t just go to the home of a team that can match you and beat them there – Not even Man City: Stop dreaming
Even if we beat Man City, we have to do it again at Old Trafford, we have to do it again at White Hart Lane and we have to beat Chelsea & Aston Villa at the Emirates
It’s a tough ask that our form shows no prove of us being able to do – we’ve not won any Big6 away
We’ll be at least 6 points behind the eventual winner – cos we have much tougher away fixtures than the rest
Freddy we do not have “far tougher” fixtures at all. We have ONLY slightly more difficult fixtures, in fact.
“Slightly ” is not a suitable qualifier at all. Unarguably,we have a much tougher fixtures left.
Take a look at it
1) City_ away
2)Man U_away
3)Spurs_away
4)Chelsea_home
5)Brighton_away
6)Villa_home
7) Bournemouth_home
8)Wolves_away
9)Luton_home
10)Everton_home
For City
1) Arsenal_home
2)Villa_home
3)Palace_away
4)Luton_home
5)Brighton_away
6)Forest_away
7)Wolves_home
8)Fulham_away
9)westham_ home
10)Spurs_away
For Liverpool
1)Brighton_ home
2)Sheff Utd_home
3)Man U_away
4)Palace_home
5)Fulham_away
6)Everton_away
7)westham_away
8)Spurs_home
9)Villa_away
10)Wolves_home.
When you compare the fixtures,you will realize Arsenal has much tougher fixtures left
Stay positive.💪
In games of this magnitude, stats don’t matter much rather who turns up for the massive game. We’ve done it in the big games so far albeit should have been better with the London derbies which we have struggled this season. We could be 10/11 points ahead , unfortunately we didn’t turn up.
The tougher the fixture, the higher the motivation and if otherwise, then we don’t deserve the trophies we are fighting for. From now own all I want is a giant mentality and be ruthless, might as well “copy” being “MONSTERS” , and I did clingy my fist! . I’m blazed for the run in, and I hope the boys are , they have made us believe so far.
Exactly,
Looking at that list
Man City Have :
2 Tricky Home (Arsenal & Villa)
2 Tricky Away (Spurs & Brighton)
Liverpool Have:
1 Tricky Home (Spurs & Brighton)
2 Tricky Away (Villa & Man Utd)
Arsenal Have :
4 Tricky Away (Man City, Spurs, Man Utd, Brighton)
2 Tricky Home (Chelsea, Villa)
If you do away with Brighton for everybody, Man City has the easiest run : Only 1 Tricky Away Match
Liverpool would still have 2 Tricky Away Match and would still have 3
I did this analysis last year
Telling people that the running would not favour us – even if we didn’t crumble
But we eventually crumbled and threw it way away
One thing this Arsenal have shown me this season is we do well in matches we deemed “too difficult to get a result” then go on to flop our lines in those ones we all thought we should be winning comfortably. Am truly not worried about the Chelsea, Spurs(we did the double on them last season) & United – am more worried about the Brightons of this world. CoYG
One more thing. Gooners are starting to get too noisy – can we just take a chill pill & let’s win some silverware of note before we start getting at other fans faces.