Arsenal fell 2-1 to Manchester City putting the Premier League title fully into chaos. If both sides win out, it’ll come down to goal difference. The loss feels like a tremendous blow (and it is) but it is not a knockout punch. If there is a silver lining to be found, it’s that Arsenal played better than they have in the Premier League in a while. This race isn’t over, not by a long shot.
The match was there for the taking, too. That’s the frustrating part. Arsenal had the better chances in the second
half. Kai Havertz was denied on a breakaway and the Gunners couldn’t scramble the rebound home. Ebere Eze curled a shot off the inside of the post. Gabriel headed a ball onto the post. Havertz put a mostly free header over the bar in second half added time.
Manchester City had one gilt-edged chance in the second half and Erling Haaland converted it, with an assist to nearly pulling the shirt off Gabriel’s body to stop the defender reacting to the loose ball and to slingshot himself towards getting there first. It wasn’t a case of a centerback and striker battling and one winning out. Only one player was grabbing the other.
I suppose you could say it evened out with Gabriel remaining on the pitch after his coming together with Haaland 10-15 minutes later where the Brazilian defender shoved forward with his head (in response to Haaland shoving him, then getting in his face). But does that flashpoint even happen if the match is 1-1 instead of 2-1 to City?
I’m usually a Gabriel Martinelli defender, but man, the Brazilian winger was dreadful today. He was presumably brought on to help Cristhian Mosquera out defensively with the Spaniard on a yellow card and on a tough assignment against Jeremy Doku. Mosquera did really well in the second half before making way for Ben White, by the way. Martinelli, unfortunately, did not. On City’s winner, you can see Martin Ødegaard motion for Martinelli to track Nico O’Reilly. Instead, Martinelli steps forward and wide to cover someone else.
Donnarumma spots O’Reilly in space and his throw completely bypasses Martinelli. City get the ball up the pitch for free as a result. And Martinelli, with all his pace and fresh legs, doesn’t hustle back. That part is inexcusable. In the end, it’s Martin Ødegaard, bum knee and all, who gets closer to making a defensive intervention in the box than Martinelli.
Nico O’Reilly was one of Manchester City’s difference-makers today. I can’t help but wonder if he’d have been able to be nearly as influential in the match if he’d been forced to defend Bukayo Saka instead of Noni Madueke and then Gabriel Martinelli, playing on his off-wing. And look at the difference a fullback who is good on the ball makes. It’s a shame that Arsenal had to play without both of their first choice outside backs.
Both Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera did fine. Mosquera had a tough time with Doku but did well enough considering he’s more a centerback than an outside back. Hincapie had an excellent game. He played, as he always does, with a ton of heart, but he’s not the same attacking threat that Riccardo Calafiori is. In a game decided on fine margins, that extra bit of attacking impetus could have made the difference. The one occasion where Hincapie got forward promisingly, he was taken down from behind as he tried to turn the corner into the box, much in the same way that Kai Havertz was taken down by Khusanov earlier in the second half.
Ultimately, this match was another reminder of what Arsenal have been missing this season, particularly down the stretch. I’ve already mentioned the fullbacks. The combination of Kai Havertz, Martin Ødegaard, and Ebere Eze on attack was a revelation. The ball moved around and up the pitch with more fluidity. Players seemed comfortable on the ball. The attack looked miles better. I believe it’s the first time that trio have been available to start a game together. Kai Havertz, Martin Ødegaard, and Bukayo Saka have barely played together in two years.
Saka, by the way, is the Arsenal player most likely to do what Rayan Cherki did on Manchester City’s opening goal. That is dribble around and through multiple players en route to scoring. I don’t think any other player besides Kai Havertz at #9 for Arsenal gets close enough to Donnarumma to block that clearance into the back of the net.
The side gave a pretty good accounting of themselves tough. I’m finding it hard to be too upset with them falling short on such slim margins, though. A combined total of a few inches on two or three chances and this thing goes the other way. Oddly enough, the way the side played, even in a losing effort, gives me hope that they’ve got the attacking chops to win out and force Manchester City to do the same.
