2024-09-22 06:00:00
The four-time defending champion, Manchester City, will host Arsenal, their runner-up from the past two seasons, on Sunday (5:30 p.m.), and only two points separate them in the standings before this early reunion, enough to further fuel the storytelling of this modern-day English duel.
“We have to go there to prove that we have progressed again, that we can compete,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, describing City as “the most consistent team in the history of the Premier League”.
Arsenal, City’s best enemy
The ogre from the north-west of England has swallowed up six of the last seven titles. But he has found in the “Gunners” an opponent of his measure, especially in direct confrontations.
Last season, the Londoners won in front of their home crowd (1-0) then frustrated a City team (0-0) who, at home, had scored at least one goal in 57 league games.
French defender William Saliba, who was named man of the match at the time, will return to action on Sunday against Haaland, a stratospheric scorer since the start of the season with nine goals in four matches. “He’s a great player, one of the best in the world. It’s difficult to play against him but last season, we gave everything to stop him and he didn’t manage (to score),” the French international recalled this week on FOX Sports.
Saliba forms a feared partnership with Brazilian Gabriel, the best in England according to observers, supported by the numbers: Arsenal have conceded only one goal since the start of the Premier League, against Brighton (1-1), with ten men against eleven. “If they continue to play together, Saliba and Gabriel will end up being referred to as the two most remarkable duos of my generation: John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho of Chelsea, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic of Manchester United,” wrote former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher in the Telegraph.
Unbalanced calendar
The Gunners, however, face two handicaps as they face the current leader. First, they will be without their captain Martin Odegaard, who is injured. Second, they arrive at a disadvantage due to the schedule.
The trip to Manchester, a week after the victory at Tottenham (1-0), falls three days after the Champions League match at Atalanta Bergamo (0-0). Manchester City, on the other hand, are playing their third consecutive match at home, four days after the visit of Inter Milan (0-0). “I will make you a list for the last six years of the number of times we have had this disadvantage of facing difficult opponents with fewer days of recovery. I have a huge list to show you,” Guardiola replied on Friday, before conceding: “of course, it is a small advantage.”
City unbeaten at home in league for almost two years
Arteta did not lament his fate. “It’s extremely rare to have three big away games in six days in these conditions, but that’s the way it is, so we’ve prepared for it, physically, mentally and tactically.”
Both sides came together to play down the significance of Sunday’s result in the title race, with eight months to go. “As far as the standings are concerned, it’s not really important. It will be when we go to London in the second half of the season,” Guardiola played down.
For Arsenal, winning on enemy soil would still bring an extra boost of confidence and energy. Manchester City, at home, have not lost in the league since the visit of Brentford (1-2) in November 2022.
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