Mikel Arteta says Arsenal need to look in the mirror after Man City defeat but Pep Guardiola reckon title race is not over
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal need to “look in the mirror” after their title hopes took a huge blow with a 4-1 defeat at Manchester City.
City closed the gap to two points and hold two games in hand with a scintillating performance to which their rivals could provide no answer.
Kevin De Bruyne dazzled with two goals and an assist for John Stones’ header while Erling Haaland added a fourth after Rob Holding had pulled one back for the visitors, who Arteta could only admit were completely out-classed.
“Analysis is clear, the better team won the game, they were probably at their best, especially in the first half and we were nowhere near our level. When that happens, the gap becomes too big,” said Arteta.
“In the first 30 minutes, all the basic things you have to do against an exceptional team in terms of competing, winning duals, understanding what the game requires, we didn’t do it and we got punished and we could have been punished even more.
FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal.
“We wanted to tweak a few things but we were unable to execute. We have to be loyal to what has brought us all this way because we have done it in the past as well in different ways. It doesn’t guarantee you anything but it is time to look in the mirror as well at what we could have done better.
“We played an exceptional team but we are an exceptional team too and today we were not at the races at the level required to win the game.
“We lost today and we have to accept we lost in a very different way to at the Emirates. The quality of the performance today was very far between one team and the other.”
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland celebrates the 4-1 win over Arsenal at full-time
Asked to explain why his side didn’t do the necessary basics during the first half, Arteta said: “I prefer to give that to the players. They were better in every department. There were more aggressive, kept the ball better, won every single duel, we had them in the corners and then with two passes they are through on our goal. They deserve to win the game because they were better.
“The way we started the game didn’t help us. We put ourselves in trouble in many situations. We lost all the first and second balls. That created uncertainty and we could not grab the game in the way we wanted, that’s credit to them as well because they were really good.”
Soccer Special pundit Paul Merson says he has not seen Man City play like they did in a 4-1 thrashing of Arsenal, believing they ‘went to another level’ on Wednesday evening.
Opta now ranks City’s chances of winning the league at 92.1 per cent but Arteta is not taking any notice.
“I can’t follow the stats because the stats at the start of the season said we would be sixth or seventh,” he said.
“We are where we are with five games to go and those players deserve a lot of credit to be nine-and-a-half months against this team being where we are and there are still five games to play. I have been in this country almost 22 years and I know how much it shifts game-to-game.”
‘We never had a chance to win’
Arsenal defenders Ben White and Gabriel look dejected after Man City score their third
With five games remaining, a maximum of 15 points would see Arsenal collect a total of 90 and Arteta recons that is what is needed for them to at least have a chance of winning the league.
“I think so,” he said. “First we have to lift the players because it is a difficult one to swallow.
“[We have to] accept the reality. That is the best way to move forward. We never had a chance to win the game. We have to improve, be better and be humble enough to accept that in sport if we are going to get better.
“We knew we would need our best as a team and individually. You need 11 players doing that. Today we were far from them.”
Pep: The result is not decisive
Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring their side’s first goal of the game
Manchester City can move top of the Premier League by beating Fulham on Sunday, live on Sky Sportsbefore Arsenal next play on Tuesday May 2 at home to Chelsea.
Pep Guardiola, though, believes their victory on Wednesday night has not decided the title and that their next three games will have a big say in who lifts the trophy.
“I have a feeling the next three games will dictate a lot. Marco Silva has done amazing this season. We then have two games at home in West Ham and Leeds,” he said.
“I don’t want to anticipate anything but at home this season we feel comfortable. The next three games will be really important but, of course, the most important thing is our destiny is in our hands.”
On their performance against Arsenal, Guardiola added: “Congratulations to all the players, backroom staff, an important game, not decisive, but really, really important. We played really good from the beginning to the end.
“They are top of the league, the reality is we’re two points behind. Of course, we have two games in hand but still they are there.
“Absolutely (I prefer) my position because now it’s in our hands. I would love that these two games are six points but you have to win them, but I prefer it because it depends on us.
“Until today, I prefer the position in the Premier League of Arsenal because if Arsenal had beaten us it’s in their hands. But now it is in our hands.”
Arsenal’s remaining fixtures
May 2: chelsea (H) – Premier League, kick off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 7: newcastle (A) – Premier League, kick off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Brighton (H) – Premier League, 3pm kick off
May 20: Nottingham Forest (A) – Premier League, kick off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 28: wolves (H) – Premier League, kick off 4.30pm
Man City’s remaining fixtures
Apr 30: Fulham (A) – Premier League, kick off 2pm, live on Sky Sports
May 3: west ham (H) – Premier League, kick off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
May 6: LeedsUnited (H) – Premier League, kick off 3pm, live on Sky Sports
May 9: real Madrid (A) – Champions League
May 13: everton (A) – Premier League, 3pm kick off
May 17: real Madrid (H) – Champions League
May 21: chelsea (H) – Premier League, kick off 4pm
May 24: Brighton (A) – Premier League, kick off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
May 28: Brentford (A) – Premier League, kick off 4.30pm
