Arsenal: 4 requirements needed to beat Manchester City

Arsenal face perhaps the biggest test in English football: Manchester City in the Premier League.

Currently sitting fourth in the table, the Gunners have surged in recent weeks to be just seven points behind “title contenders” in Chelsea with a game in hand. Football is a funny old game.

Games against the ‘big boys’ of the competition have been a cause for trepidation in recent years, but with Mikel Arteta’s squad in a good space at the minute, a game against Pep Guardiola’s men is the perfect measuring stick both for the manager and the team.

Sweeping aside the likes of Norwich, Southampton, and Leeds will not make the football world take notice, so all eyes will be on Arsenal when they take to the Emirates pitch to tackle the reigning champions.

Arsenal vs Manchester City: 4 minimum requirements needed from Mikel Arteta’s side to secure Premier League win over Guardiola’s men

City is currently on a ten-game winning streak in the Premier League, during which period they’ve notched 31 goals. Guardiola’s side is a footballing juggernaut: fast, strong, technical, experienced and relentless.

It will be more than just a tough task for Arteta’s young outfit. Furthermore, it’s a side that will not have the presence of its manager on the touchline to help them on their way, with the Spaniard missing Saturday’s game after testing positive for Covid.

Therefore an opportunity presents itself for ‘Airpod Albert’ and his team, in what is often referred to as a ‘free hit’.

But nothing is done and dusted in football. Arsenal are in fine form, especially on home soil, and if they can meet certain requirements they stand the chance of avoiding the biannual hammering. So, what do we want to see from Arsenal against the champions for the first game of 2022?

1. Fight and Determination

More often than not when Arsenal plays one of the big teams in the league they get pushed around. Sometimes it is men against boys: the 8-2 loss to Manchester United in 2011, the 6-0 loss to Chelsea in 2014, and the 5-1 loss to Liverpool in 2014 where the Gunners were 4-0 down inside 20 minutes, just to name a few.

However, this Arsenal side has shown grit and determination unlike the teams before them who rolled over at the first sight of a struggle. The biggest test of their togetherness will come against City.

Not likely to have much of the possession, such is City’s dominance, the team will have to fight and dig in deep if they are to grind out a result. That is the absolute bare minimum, it needn’t be said.

Being at home is a big plus with the Arsenal faithful expected to be in full voice. All fans ask for is that their team shows up, fights for every ball and 50/50 contest, and doesn’t allow a repeat of what happened in the third game of the season. That was a glorified training drill for City.

Continued on next page…

2. Take the Few Chances That Present Themselves

This is perhaps the biggest one. Arsenal has a knack for missing glorious opportunities, only for the opposition to go down the other end and put the ball into the net.

Against City it’s widely expected that chances for the Gunners will be few and far between, so when an opportunity does present itself there needs to be similarly high levels of clinical finishing that were, for example, shown at Carrow Road. City doesn’t dish them out like chocolates in the festive period. Their total of 12.73 xG against this season is, no surprises, the lowest in the division.

The likes of Alexandre Lacazette (who is guilty of spurning a big chance or two), Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli will all need their shooting boots on if the Gunners are to take anything from this game.

Two of the last three league meetings have ended 1-0 to City so Arsenal has shown that they can hang with the best even during times of weakness. However, inevitably, City breaks down a stubborn Gunners team and grabs the three points. Arsenal haven’t scored in their last five meetings with Guardiola’s side.

Chances can’t be wasted against City as Arsenal have dragged themselves back from oblivion to be in the hunt for a top-four spot. An early goal would set the tone and with the raucous home crowd behind them, anything can happen.

But chances must be taken.

Continued on next page…

3. Be Combative in Midfield With Partey & Xhaka

Another pivotal one. They all are, in fairness.

City’s midfield of Fernandinho, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, along with Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, is incredible…..and Rodri, and Gundogan and….well, you catch the drift.

It will be up to Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard to at least try and break even in the middle of the park. That central triangle has been looking stronger by the week.

In their 5-0 loss, City walked around the Arsenal midfield, thanks largely in part to Xhaka’s red card. However, the big teams have routinely done that to Arsenal even with eleven players so the onus will be on the home side to not be bullied, but also not to overstep the mark, Granit.

Granted, City does this to just about every team in the league so there is no shame in it, but for a club the size of Arsenal, wrestling some level of control that area of the pitch is how these games can be won. Against Liverpool, Arsenal were competitive for the majority of the first half before a lapse in concentration let Sadio Mane in for the opening goal. In the second half, Liverpool dominated once the second goal went in.

Particularly at home, Arsenal can’t afford to be pushed around in midfield early on. It sets the tone from the off. This is a chance to put a marker down and prove that the team is making strides and with this being Partey’s final outing before AFCON, all involved should be up for the fight.

Continued on next page…

4. Be Stout Defensively

Years ago, this was Arsenal’s Achilles heel. Now it is something of a strength.

Aided by Aaron Ramsdale in goal, the Gunners backline is no longer a soft unit. His nine clean sheets this season is bettered only by Ederson’s 11. Arsenal’s improved compactness out of possession and growing understanding across the back five has been one of the major hallmarks of Arteta’s tenure. He has improved the team defensively above anywhere else.

However, this will be severely tested against City and the visitors will be on the front foot for the majority of the contest.

Gabriel and Benjamin White will have to watch their distances and communicate endlessly, joined in defence by the likely inclusion of Rob Holding, who has not fared well against this opposition of late. Kieran Tierney will have his work cut out on the left and the right-back, set to be White, will have the unenviable task of nullifying Raheem Sterling and Joao Cancelo’s immense quality on his side. It’s in these areas where the league leaders can punish any side in Europe.

Once City gets a sniff of blood in the water, it is a tough day for their opposition. Arsenal will have to be on their toes for the full 90 minutes. There are going to be (long) periods when the Gunners will be put under intense pressure and how they respond will tell us how far they have come as a unit.

Will it define the season? Of course not. It is as close to the definition of a ‘free hit’ as there is. However, if Arsenal are to get a positive result from this match then they’ll have to produce all of the above to stand any chance.