3 positives & negatives from huge Manchester City win

Positive #3: A victory against Manchester City

Eight years, 12 games – that is how long it had been since our last Premier League victory against Manchester City. As a result, this victory is huge not just because of the potential implications it may have on this season’s title race, but also because of the wider context mentioned above.

We have now faced Manchester City twice this campaign, and have emerged victorious on both occasions. Arteta, as will we all, will now hope that those results, this one in particular, can provide the players with the confidence and belief they need to improve on the second-placed finish last term.

Negative #3: Officiating

I don’t like to moan about referees in these pieces, and ultimately the decision in question did not prevent us from winning the game. But, the decision to not show Mateo Kovacic a straight red card for his challenge on Martin Odegaard, and then to not show the Croatian a second yellow for another reckless challenge just minutes later, is, in my opinion, a very poor one to the say the least.

On another day, that decision may have cost us the three points, and it was yet another example of VAR lacking any real consistency with its decisions.