Since Arsenal were denied a memorable victory over Manchester City last Sunday, when John Stones scored a 98th-minute equaliser, much of the post-match reaction emanated from the City camp. Stones, Bernardo Silva, and Manuel Akanji have all voiced their displeasure at the Gunners’ alleged use of ‘dark arts’, while Erling Haaland’s frustration was clear as he threw the ball at Gabriel’s head, with heated exchanges between players from both teams following the final whistle.
Amid this chaotic week, it has now emerged that Mikel Arteta and his team view City’s outrage as the perfect opportunity to boost their title hopes later in the season. City’s frustration with Arsenal’s second-half tactics, after being reduced to 10 men following Leandro Trossard’s controversial red card just before half-time, has left the Gunners sensing a potential crack in their rivals’ armour.
What Arsenal Players Are Saying Privately
Text messages about Man City exchanged between players
Conversations within the team have now been leaked, notably with one player texting his teammates about City’s ‘rattled’ stars: “They are fuming!”, according to the Daily Mail. And while the sentiment after Sunday’s drama was that the events were just the start of a bigger whirlwind in days, and even months, to come, the latest episode proves just that.
Per the same report, the footage of Haaland’s confrontation with Arteta after the final whistle – in which the Norwegian advises the Arsenal manager to ‘stay humble’ – has added to the impression that City lost control of their emotions. This, in turn, has led to other messages being exchanged by those in the Arsenal camp that share a similar view: that their biggest roadblock to success this season has taken a psychological hit.
Certainly, City might highlight footage of Arsenal director Tim Lewis leaving his seat after the match without shaking hands with Etihad chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak as an indication of the London club’s lack of dignity. However, it can also be revealed that Lewis shook hands with several City directors, including Khaldoon, before the match and stayed at the Etihad Stadium well after the final whistle, open to exchanging farewell pleasantries.
And so, while Arsenal’s in-game mystique presented a very different facade in their bullish strives for a first Premier League title in 20 years last weekend, the way they have gone about business off it would suggest they remain calm in their approach, as Arteta has continually kept his cards close to his chest.
Guardiola Has Made Attempts At Calming The Waters
He has reached out to Arteta since the showdown
Despite the tension, Pep Guardiola has sought to ease the situation, revealing that he had reached out to Arteta following the tumultuous encounter, indicating a desire to reduce frictions between the top clubs. Guardiola, the architect of City’s four consecutive Premier League triumphs, also remains undeterred by opponents’ tactics, stating:
“The opponents can play how they want to, it’s up to us to handle them.” He also highlighted his relationship with Mikel Arteta, mentioning:
“With Mikel, we texted each other. The relationship, it doesn’t change.”
The Spaniard further commented on teams opting for a defensive strategy against City: “If they decide to play in that way, it’s more than perfect. It’s fine. I wasn’t able to do that, but they were brilliant. It’s about us, how we can break them down, and we did it really well in many things.”
“It’s not the first time in eight years here. Do you know how many times we’ve played against teams that play that way? Millions, millions. It’s about us, that’s why it’s a challenge for us.”