Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal Review

Premier League GW32

To ramp up the pressure on Arsenal in the final games, to unlock six more finals to win the Premier League title, Manchester City needed to win on the weekend, and they got the job done. Erling Haaland won his battle with Gabriel. Rayan Cherki scored a sensational goal. The combination of O’Reilly and Doku on the left continues to lead the team to three points.

MOTM: BERNARDO SILVA

Beating Havertz for that ball in behind, beating Gyokeres for a header inside the box, tracking Odegaard between the lines, and dropping deep in supporting the buildup, to bait the Arsenal press. Not the difference maker in the opposition box like Haaland and Cherki, but this was the captain’s performance controlling the game and leading the team.

Notable Stats:

• Pep Guardiola has won all four of his Premier League games against league leaders with his Man City side starting the day 2nd in the table - the joint-most wins by a manager of 2nd vs 1st in the competition's history, alongside Alex Ferguson.

• Erling Haaland is the second player to score in four consecutive Premier League games against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, after Liverpool’s Diogo Jota between September 2020 and March 2022.

• Only four players have achieved a double-double (10 goals + 10 assists) among the clubs of the Top 5 European leagues over each of the last two seasons:
  - Lamine Yamal
  - Vinícius Júnior
  - Michael Olise
  - Rayan Cherki

• Arsenal have lost four consecutive games in domestic league/cup competitions for the very first time under Mikel Arteta, and for the first time overall since March 2018 - a run which also included two defeats to Manchester City.

• The top Premier League players for minutes per goal/assist in all competitions this season (900+ mins played):
  99 - Erling Haaland
  100 - Rayan Cherki
  102 - Bruno Fernandes
  119 - Igor Thiago
  125 - Hugo Ekitiké

Game Stats:

Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal

• xG: 2.51 - 1.78

• xThreat: 1.27 - 0.97

• Possession: 58.2% - 41.8%

• Field Tilt: 62.0% - 38.0%

• Penalty Box Shots: 13 - 8

• Deep Entries: 18 - 5

• PPDA:11.7 - 10.0

• High Turnovers: 4 - 4

7 games, 5 wins, and 2 draws for the CB pairing of Guehi and Khusanov.

Back-to-back PL wins for Manchester City for the first time since February.

Rodri (2,030) has now played over 2,000 minutes across all competitions this season.

Back-to-back full 90s for Erling Haaland for the 1st time since January.

If you want to stay up-to-date on individual player minutes, back four combinations, underlying numbers, and more, check out the live Google sheet below. 👇

No changes from the Chelsea game for Manchester City. Arsenal leave out Gyokeres, bring in Odegaard and put Eze on the LW. Mosquera in for Ben White. In response to the pressing shape they struggled against in the Cup Final, Arsenal used Mosquera in a back three, pushed Odegaard between the lines, Rice up to win long balls, and Eze moved inside as another option to play through. Hincapie advanced down the left, but Man City were happy to leave him free, given the little threat he could provide.

In the end, they struggled to find options through the City Press. Going over the top to Havertz was their most successful option, then pouncing on second balls to progress up the pitch. But that route didn’t last long, and neither did the consistency of chances for Arsenal.

For Manchester City, the 3-1-3-3 we’re used to seeing for a few weeks now. Some great rotations on the left side as Rodri drops into the backline, Guehi pushes forward, and Silva comes across to support. Runs by O’Reilly to drag Zubimendi out of position, who was tasked again with tracking him.

City covered the central spaces with Haaland and Cherki. Semenyo and Doku narrow the meaning that the likes of Eze and Zubimendi need to pull out very wide to receive the ball. Rodri and Silva are tracking the players between the lines, the former there to compete with Rice for long balls. Hincapie left free on the right. O’Reilly tracking Madueke. Silva made sure Odegaard had little time on the ball whenever he received the ball. In the end, it was over the top that was Arsenal’s best and only option. When Manchester City won their duels. Arsenal had no other solutions to progress the ball.

R. Cherki (16') 1-0
Nunes is first to the loose ball, beating Eze, and chests it down for Cherki. He's then able to drive towards the box. Hincapie is initially with Semenyo, late to come across. Saliba is tracking Haaland. Rice has his eye on the run Silva is making into the box.

Cherki dribbles towards Gabriel on the outside, knowing that with Saliba covering Haaland, the middle is open. Once he bites, Cherki cuts around his trailing leg, to the top of the six-yard box, and passes it into the far corner.

Nunes takes a long time to decide on his long throw and passes back to the keeper. Donnarumma makes a big mistake (18’), his touch into the path of Havertz, who can deflect that pass right into the goal. Scoring the equaliser.

That took the steam out of the stadium, as well as the team for a few minutes, who looked to be building up momentum, scoring the opening goal, and brought Arsenal back into it.

Arsenal wouldn’t have another shot until the second half, but City did eventually refind their feet and built up to chances. Finding ways through the press of Arsenal. Lovely move through them before Haaland scuffs a shot on the edge of the box (27’). A couple of chances from corners (33’), and a chance for Semenyo (42’).

The first change of the game was Martinelli on at halftime for Madueke, playing on the right side, not his preferred, but adding more pace in behind for Arsenal. Although not as comfortable in the role of OOP as we saw played out for the second goal.

Big double save Donnarumma against Havertz (60’), initial shot, and the second by Martinelli (60’). Arsenal didn’t have a shot between the 18th minute and then this chance in the second half. The point momentum could have swung in favour of Arsenal, but Donnarumma makes up for his error earlier in the game to keep it level.

E. Haaland (65') 2-1
The move begins with an error on the Arsenal end with their press. Confusion for Martinelli is about whether to go M2M, whilst not backed up by Mosquera, pinned by Doku. He's also used to playing on the left, not right.

Donnarumma shows the intent to roll it out to Guehi as well, which is the moment Martinelli goes to press the CB. Then he throws over the top to O'Reilly. Now free to drive up the pitch and lay it off to Doku.

Doku beats Mosquera, cutting inside, drawing in Zubimendi, then playing through O'Reilly. Who is kept onside by how deep Gabriel is from battling with Haaland. Rodri arrives in the box, tracked by Rice, and misses the pass across from O'Reilly.

That's the moment Haaland seizes on. Pulls Gabriel one way as he steps in front, and an excellent finish to get on the top of the ball. Drive it into the ground and make it difficult for the keeper to get a hand on it.

The goal exposed it, but Manchester City were looking to play around with the Arsenal press throughout the first half. Pivot positioned deep and looking to bait the press to then open up the space behind.

2v1 to be found either on Mosquera or Zubimendi. Cherki between the lines in space. Arsenal CBs caught between doubling up on Haaland or covering Cherki. If one steps, you can find Haaland 1v1 by going long.

Initially, with Madueke pressing, they could find the 2v1 on the left side. Then, later on, with Odegaard now pressing, the winger was sitting deeper, and it was closed off. Martinelli's coming on makes the mistake of opening up that route again. All of which they were able to do regardless of the keeper starting.

Late change in the half for Arsenal chasing the game. Trossard and White (74’) on for Mosquera and Eze. Strange call to bring off Eze given his threat shooting outside the box, but White was the correct choice, to overlap and threaten for Arsenal on their right side.

Gyokeres on for Zubimendi (84’) as the final roll of the dice. Quite telling how poorly that signing has gone, that he’s not starting arguably the biggest game of the season. He wouldn’t take a single touch of the ball and lost his one aerial duel to Bernardo Silva.

Arsenal had chances through set pieces towards the end of the game. One at the near-post blocked (73’) and the other missed (90’+5), both by Kai Havertz. That was the chance for them to equalise, it’s a big miss despite doing well to drop off Guehi and have the clear header. Donnarumma is rooted.

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Moving Forward

It’s a huge win for Manchester City. Guardiola has landed on a consistent starting eleven, structure on and off the ball, but with a group that can make adjustments on the fly with Rodri and Silva in the middle. With all the attacking qualities you’d need for winning different games between Doku, Cherki, Haaland, and Semenyo. There are far too many players; you can’t leave 1v1. Too many scoring threats. Backed up Nunes becoming a consistent and dependable right-back. Guehi and Khusanov are forming a CB partnership that complements one another well.

Plenty of work left to do. Six more Premier League games. Some of those were pushed into midweek around the FA Cup fixtures. Two trophies are on the line, but neither has been won yet.

Arsenal losing duels was a theme in the League Cup Final. That continued for this game. Mosquera, with 4/10 ground duels won, speaks to his struggles defending against Doku 1v1. Declan Rice pushed up to win long balls, but only won 2/7 aerial duels. Eze (3/8) and Odegaard (0/5) also struggled with ground duels.

Gabriel had a big battle with Erling Haaland across the game, and he didn’t come out on top. Winning 1/4 ground duels and 2/6 aerial duels. The main outlet Arsenal could lean on was Havertz. He was able to win 5/10 aerial duels, often pulling out to our right side to compete with Khusanov and Nunes.

Box entries were another area where Manchester City were on top (21 - 7). Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki led the way; Semenyo also contributed. From either side, through carries and passes, they consistently found a way into the Arsenal box.

Two graphics from The Athletic highlight the two teams. With offsides, it’s a tool Manchester City employs successfully throughout the season. Maintaining a high line. For Arsenal, it’s not a tool they use.

Cutbacks are where the teams are more similar, looking to create chances from those movements. Arsenal are not coming from as deep positions inside the box as Manchester City, who can create better quality chances. 0.14 xG per chance for City compared to 0.09 for Arsenal.

Rodri picked up an injury and came off right at the end of the game. It looked like a groin issue, but we’ll have to wait and see the extent of it. Regardless of that, Nico is likely to come in against Burnley (A) and Southampton (FA Cup), before the Everton (A) match, where you’d hope Rodri could return.

Rotation will certainly be on the mind of Guardiola, now that we’re back to playing twice a week. Who can you take off early, and could there be 2 or 3 changes in the starters in the next couple of games? We won’t know how fresh they are, but these two games are the ovbious place to look at it.

Next up for Manchester City is Burnley (A) on Wednesday, 22nd of April at 20:00 (UK time). Given the goal difference and head-to-head record, a win will take them to the top of the Premier League. As we’ve seen countless times this season and in previous years, it’s not enough to win a big game; you’ve got to follow it up.