Student Becomes Teacher? Arsenal’s High-Stakes Tactics Forcing City Into ‘Must-Win’ Title Battle

(Pep Guardiola. Photo Credit: Facebook)

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has lauded Mikel Arteta’s team ahead of Sunday’s pivotal top-of-the-table Premier League match, stating he likes to watch Arsenal play because he can “learn a lot” from them.

Guardiola responded, “Yes,” when asked if he liked watching Arsenal play. People have such high expectations. from supporters, the media, and everyone else. I like to watch them. I gain a lot of knowledge in different areas.

People want to win, and we’ll fight for that. The fact that Arsenal hasn’t won the Premier League in 22 years is a very significant factor that we can’t ignore. They have a distinctive quality. I am aware of that.

“I knew that feeling when we arrived here,” he went on. We didn’t win the Premier League for a long time. Manuel Pellegrini and Roberto Mancini did, but I would say that I understand how you feel about the first victory for our age.

“We have to concentrate on the way we have to play because that is something we cannot play against.”

Manchester City enters this match with a psychological advantage after defeating Arsenal 2-0 at Wembley Stadium to win the Carabao Cup last month. The two teams drew at Emirates Stadium in September of last year.

Guardiola hinted the title race is “over” with six games to play for City if they lose on Sunday, but there are still “many things to do”. Mikel Arteta was Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City before taking over at Arsenal in 2019.

Even though they may have won both the Champions League and the Premier League, Arsenal’s style of play under Arteta has been increasingly criticised, having scored 37% of their 62 league goals from set-pieces this season and just two goals from open play in their last five games.