Manchester City vs. Arsenal: the secret of a chess game between two grandmasters
What strategic news did Pep Guardiola bring out and what did Mikel Arteta bring out?
The most dramatic battle for the Premier League title continues. How did Manchester City's goalless draw with Arsenal affect it? The 0-0 result at the Etihad stadium moved Liverpool to the top of the list of favourites.
It was a stunning Sunday in England's top competition! It featured matches in quick succession between the top three teams in the table. That won't happen again until the end of the Premier League.
First, it was leaders Liverpool in action, who were not allowed to falter in their match against Brighton. After 87 seconds of the match, they found themselves in a tight spot as Welbeck put the visitors in the lead.
But then the strength of Jürgen Klopp's team became apparent. Mc Allister provided the equaliser in the first-half stoppage time and then Mohamed Salah scored after a fantastic Mac Allister through pass.
"We played the best game against them since we face each other, so I like that even more," said Klopp.
The Liverpool coach got his side's first win over Robert De Zerbi at the fifth attempt. The Italian coach is currently the leading candidate to replace Klopp on the Liverpool bench. De Zerbi hinted after the final whistle that a summer move to Anfield is by no means impossible. Although he is under contract at Brighton until the summer of 2026.
"I will speak with Tony (Bloom) and the club and we will find a solution together without problems but I know my future and what I want. I want to compete and keep my ambition high because my life is football. I want to wake up happy every morning and fight to reach the maximum."
Klopp also gave De Zerbi a publicity stunt after the final whistle. "It is incredible what he has done. Brighton have lost Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo, they have lots of injuries, but he puts a team like that together. An incredible job," added German.
As Liverpool FC supporters were enjoying a valuable victory over Brighton, the match between the second and third team in the table started at the Etihad Stadium. The Manchester City and Arsenal coaches and players knew they needed three points. But in the end, both camps took only one point. Although the offensive teams that boast the second and third highest number of goals scored in the Premier League this season (Arsenal 67 goals scored, Citizens 63) met on the pitch, not a single goal fell. Why?
Here's Pep Guardiola's explanation: „We didn't create much, they didn't create much. They defended very compact, we could not regain the balls high pressing because first contact, second contact they were there. They had a lot of quality and physicality.“
The view of Mikel Arteta: „It is tough because they [City] have so many different stuctures and move so much inside and on the base, from the winger stepping inside, from the centre backs stepping up, the full backs stepping up. You have to maintain certain principles to be able to keep them under pressure, and when you don't then you are low. At that point you have to be disciplined so they cannot pin you up at any moment.“
The title match resembled a tactical chess game. But the spectators in the stadium and on the TV screens couldn't get bored. It was an amazing demonstration of the maturity of coaches, players and modern football in general.
What key tactical moves did Guardiola and Arteta pull off?
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