Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal Vs Manchester City: 5 things we learned – Unai Emery got it wrong

By Andrew Dowdeswell

FILE PHOTO (EDITORS NOTE: COMPOSITE OF IMAGES - Image numbers 1089388290,1072868284 - GRADIENT ADDED) In this composite image a comparison has been made between Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City (L) and Arsenal manager Unai Emery. Manchester City and Arsenal meet in a Premier League match on February 3, 2019 in Manchester, England. ***LEFT IMAGE*** SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 30: Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City looks on before the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Manchester City at St Mary's Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Southampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images) ***RIGHT IMAGE*** LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 13: Arsenal manager Unai Emery looks on ahead of the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Arsenal and Qarabag FK at Emirates Stadium on December 13, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
FILE PHOTO (EDITORS NOTE: COMPOSITE OF IMAGES - Image numbers 1089388290,1072868284 - GRADIENT ADDED) In this composite image a comparison has been made between Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City (L) and Arsenal manager Unai Emery. Manchester City and Arsenal meet in a Premier League match on February 3, 2019 in Manchester, England. ***LEFT IMAGE*** SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 30: Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City looks on before the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Manchester City at St Mary's Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Southampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images) ***RIGHT IMAGE*** LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 13: Arsenal manager Unai Emery looks on ahead of the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Arsenal and Qarabag FK at Emirates Stadium on December 13, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) /
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 03: Sergio Aguero of Manchester City (10) celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal with team mate David Silva during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 03: Sergio Aguero of Manchester City (10) celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal with team mate David Silva during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) /

3. This is the standard

Unai Emery took over a team in a far more detrimental state than when Pep Guardiola inherited the riches, in player and resource, at Manchester City. But their targets are the same: progress and, ultimately, win.

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Fans may bemoan some of the individual errors the Gunners committed. Criticism may come for Emery and the way he set his team up — I will make this very point here. The disparity between these two teams may be scrutinised and worried over. But Manchester City are the best team in Premier League history.

This is the team that Emery and Arsenal must now compete with. If they want to win the league, something that the club has stated is their ambition, then they must now look to meet and eventually overcome the standard that City set.

City were brilliant. Give them credit for their excellence. But for Arsenal, the hard work starts now. First in learning Emery’s system and then in supplying him with the resource and the players he requires. The standard is there to meet. It is now up to Arsenal to meet it.