Feb 16, 2023

Manchester Metropolis proceed their dominance over Arsenal as their victory on the Emirates takes them to the highest of the Premier League desk on objective distinction.

Pep Guardiola’s facet made it 11 straight victories over the Gunners within the league as his veteran title winners put a significant dent in Mikel Arteta’s title hopes, as they continued their relentless pursuit of a fifth league title in simply six years.

Kevin De Buryne’s opener was matched by Bukayo Saka’s penalty that lifted the Emirates crowd, who had been in full voice for a lot of the competition. Targets from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland deflated the Arsenal trustworthy and ended the Gunners undefeated document at house this season.

Guardiola admitted that his techniques had not labored within the first half, however a second-half tactical change noticed the reigning champions run out victors.

In an interview with Amazon Prime the Metropolis boss mentioned:

“The primary half they had been a lot better than us, the second we had been a lot, a lot better.

“We weren’t taking part in, we had been defending as a result of they had been so good.

“Within the first half, my techniques, I attempted one thing new and it was horrible!”

“I attempted one thing new and it was horrible” 😂

By no means change, Pep 😅#PLonPrime #ARSMCI pic.twitter.com/EJAuCUfsII

— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) February 15, 2023

Metropolis’s title successful expertise was telling in opposition to Arteta’s youthful facet, because the younger gunners made plenty of expensive errors that led to Sky Blues’ first and second objectives.

Aretea advised Amazon Prime after the sport:

“We gave them the objectives, we had three large possibilities however didn’t put them away, and that was the distinction.

“To beat them we have now to be over our stage as a result of they’re such a group.

“I’ve extra perception as a result of we went face to face with Metropolis, I’ve extra perception in my gamers [that we can win the league].”

Mikel Arteta has extra perception in his gamers, regardless of their loss to Man Metropolis 💪

The Arsenal boss reacts to the Gunners dropping their prime spot on the Premier League desk 🗣#PLonPrime #ARSMCI pic.twitter.com/vhadDEJ7jt

— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) February 15, 2023

De Buryne had opened the scoring within the twenty first with a pleasant chip over Aaron Ramsdale, who had come effectively off his line to obtain the ball from Takherio Tomiyasu, whose careless again go performed the Belgian into loads of area to strike the ball first time with pin level accuracy.

Embed from Getty Photos

Simply moments earlier Eddie Nktheia had come near placing the Gunners forward, assembly a harmful dagger like cross from Oleksander Zinchenko with a glancing header, that drifted simply extensive of the objective body.

However Nkethia made up for his miss within the thirty ninth minute when Ederson clattered by way of Arsenal’s no.14 in an un-thinking try to win the ball. Regardless of with the ability to reduce the stress with a knife, ever constant Bakayo Saka was stone chilly when taking his penalty, sending Ederson the incorrect means as he slotted the ball into the facet netting.

Arsenal hearts had been damaged within the 71st minute when Jack Grealish slotted the ball house after Haaland capitalized on one other Arsenal error, this time from Gabriel. A wise go into İlkay Gündoğan, whose instinctive lay off gave Grealish the entire web to intention at. Tomiyasu’s intervention was not sufficient to dam the shot, as a substitute the defection despatched the ball additional into the underside nook of Ramsdales’ web.

Haaland cemented Metropolis’s victory within the 81st minute, ending off one more intelligent transfer from the Residents, with Gundogan releasing De Buryne into area that allowed him to play the right go into the Norwegian middle ahead who calmly slotted house for his twenty sixth league objective this season.

The younger gunners, whose beginning eleven had simply Granit Xhaka, Jorginho and Zinchenko by way of its skilled gamers, and solely the latter two have received Premier League Titles. Metropolis alternatively might boast 9 title winners of their beginning eleven in addition to a supervisor that has received all of it. A lot can’t be mentioned the identical of Arsenal’s squad nor of their younger supervisor.

While the advance underneath Arteta this season has been plain, this appears to be a step too far, particularly with out two key gamers in Thomas Partey and Gabriel Jesus.

The Residents had been just too good for his or her new title rivals within the second half, regardless of Arsenal being the a lot better facet through the first 45 minutes. Nonetheless Metropolis strikes a eager psychological blow on the younger pretenders who drop factors for the third sport in a row. Metropolis certainty aren’t in a disaster.

Nonetheless there does appear to be a recognition from Metropolis’s gamers that Arsenal are a worthy adversaries within the bid for the Premier League title.

Grealish mentioned in an interview with Amazon Prime after the sport:

“If I’m being trustworthy I don’t assume we really performed that effectively.

“I feel Arsenal performed lots higher than us.”

🗣 “I feel Arsenal performed lots higher than us”

An trustworthy evaluation from Jack Grealish after Man Metropolis’s win 🔵#PLonPrime #ARSMCI pic.twitter.com/MxDwpPVw50

— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) February 15, 2023

Grealish’s feedback can be no comfort for Arsenal and their followers who now look to bounce again in opposition to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa at Villa Park.

In the meantime, Metropolis will look to remain prime of the league as they journey to newly promoted Nottingham Forrest.