3 positives and negatives from the 2-2 draw against Fulham

Positive #3: The team didn’t panic

Although they were unable to secure victory, the players were able to avoid panicking after conceding so early on. Perhaps that was because of just how early it was – meaning the side had practically the entire game ahead of them to collectively undo Saka’s mistake, but they remained calm and stuck to the game plan.

It has been a somewhat recurring theme under Arteta in recent years and mental resilience was on display once again against Fulham, albeit without resulting in a win.

Negative #3: Early advantage for Manchester City

Saving perhaps the most obvious negative for last, dropping two points at home in this match has afforded Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City an early advantage in the Premier League title race after they secured a narrow 2-1 victory over newcomers Sheffield United.

To many, talk of a result as early as August affecting a title race may seem illogical, however, City have proven in recent times that you cannot afford to start slowly against them, because once they pull clear, they are incredibly difficult, almost impossible, to catch.

We may just be three games into the campaign, but results such as these could be costly come the end of the season.