“Panic on the streets of London,” read the Manchester City banner at full-time. With his hair down, Erling Haaland was singing Flo Rida’s: “Oh, sometimes, I get a good feeling.”. We’ve all heard those songs before.
Despite being Premier League leaders for 201 consecutive days, Arsenal could lose their spot at the summit on Wednesday night to a city side chasing just their seventh day at the top of pile this season.
It was the same story three seasons ago, when Mikel Arteta’s side led the 2022/23 table for 247 days, only to lose it to City in the final weeks of the season. In that campaign, a long-locked Haaland pulled his hair down and sent City to an important win over Arsenal in April. The title race wasn’t done, but ominous from there.
History is repeating itself, as a familiar but strange feeling falls upon Arsenal. There is disappointment at not getting the result, but unlike three seasons ago where Arsenal was pulled apart to a 4-1 loss, this performance was a positive one. It went against all the pre-match form and predictions.
Arsenal did not play badly at the Etihad Stadium at all. The amount of ‘good performances’ Arsenal has put in since Christmas can realistically be put on one hand. But when many were expecting a dogged, defensive display from the Gunners, there was a sensible desire to get at Pep Guardiola’s side, utilizing a successful high press.
That press was led by returning captain Martin Odegaard, whose decision-making in and out of possession was like he had never been away, let alone him making just his third start in three months.
As a result of that successful press, Arsenal won the ball back in the final third five times in the opening 25 minutes, including Kai Havertz’s equaliser off Gianluigi Donnarumma’s footwork fumble.
“The high press was really good,” said Odegaard to Sky Sports at full-time. “It felt like we were looking to regain the ball and look dangerous.”
Havertz was a presence at the top end of the pitch and with improved displays from Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi behind him, Arsenal’s attacking partnerships looked more dangerous.
After some dismal recent displays, there was cohesion up top. The 1.53 worth of expected goals they created was the most in-form City had conceded in a Premier League match in ten days.
And for a period in the second half, Arsenal put the game on a knife’s edge. Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli missed huge one-on-one chances in the same move, while Eberechi Eze striking the post put City in the ropes.
Four minutes later, Haaland scored and the sucker punch was landed. Had Havertz converted his golden stoppage-time chance, this would have been considered a great result. As Arteta said: “We were close, not close enough.”
At full-time, Declan Rice was heard saying “it’s not done” to himself. And while the title race feels ominous, it isn’t over. Arteta added: “We have full belief we can do it. Today we have shown the team that we are. It’s still in our hands, and it’s there for the taking.”
Guardiola recognises that too. “Momentum changes,” he told Sky Sports. “People said to me that the momentum from Arsenal is bad. What I saw today wasn’t a bad momentum. Momentum shifts in one instance.”
So how do Arsenal get to the title from here? Part of the strange feeling Arsenal have is while City have the title race in their hands, so do the Gunners.
Should both sides win all of their remaining games, the Premier League title will come down to who scores the most goals. With two out of the three top scorers in Golden Boot race, City look best place to do that – but Arsenal needs to find their own version of Haaland and Antoine Semenyo.
Also Read: Haaland fires Man City ahead in EPL title race
There were signs that Arsenal can unlock a bit of attacking freedom at the Etihad Stadium. As mentioned, Odegaard reminded everyone why he is Arsenal’s captain and key inspiration.
This was just the Norwegian’s fourth start alongside Eze for Arsenal and the first time either player had made it beyond half-time in those matches. And Arsenal looked better.
“I felt ok in the game,” said Odegaard about his fitness levels. “A bit tired in the end. Good to be back and hopefully, I can be there until the end.”
It goes to show that if you have your best players available at the most important time of the season, the chances of success rise.
Should Bukayo Saka return from injury soon, then Arsenal could start a trio of him, Odegaard and Havertz in the Premier League for the first time since December 2024 – when the Gunners beat Crystal Palace 5-1 away from home. Arsenal has another gear to get to.
Arsenal will also do well remembering that this City team are not perfect – and have the more difficult fixtures going forward.
The microscope will be on Guardiola’s side when they visit Everton and Bournemouth, in the same weekend Arsenal plays and out-of-form Fulham and a relegated Burnley. The possibility of Arsenal picking up more points than City cannot be ruled out.
So, back to that strange feeling Arsenal will have. Disappointment yes, but it could easily be turned into optimism going forward. Play like that between now and the end of the season, and two sets of silverware are more than possible.
As Arteta said after the game about his players: “They are now more convinced. They were talking about in the dressing room. It’s a new league now. Everything is still to play for. We know how much we want it and we are not going to stop.”
And both title rivals have strengths; both teams have weaknesses. Come Wednesday night, both teams could sit on 70 points with the same number of games left.
City’s win and Arsenal’s defeat will look like a standout moment, but Guardiola’s side have only earned the right to make the title race neck-and-neck. The race, or the shoot-out as many are putting it, is on.
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