Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has ‘very good feeling’ about games

LONDON – On the day of Arsenal’s English Premier League match against Liverpool in August, the club issued a social media post urging the team to “make a statement”.

They failed to do so, allowing the Reds to strike a psychological blow early in the title race with a 1-0 win, sparking criticism of Gunners manager Mikel Arteta for his conservative game plan.

That defeat is in the past now, and Arsenal will hope to make amends and have another chance to show this could be their year when they host Manchester City on Sept 21.

The Gunners head into this match following two straight victories, 2-0 over Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League in midweek and 3-0 over Nottingham Forest last weekend.

Momentum is key for Arteta.

“(They were) two very important wins, very good feeling about the games, and I am preparing for a very big match for Sunday,” he said.

“It is about winning again and creating another good moment for us, to have consistency and we are competing against one of the best teams obviously in the world. So it is good to see our level as well.”

He added that Pep Guardiola’s City should not be underestimated even if they are going through a rough patch.

“The demand he puts on himself, the standards, the will to win. Pep always brings out the best in people. He is by far the best coach in the world, I have always said it,” he said.

Arsenal have been Premier League runners-up for three seasons in a row, finishing behind City on two of those occasions while losing out to Liverpool last campaign.

For eight years until October 2023, the Gunners failed to beat City home or away in the league, but they are now eyeing a third straight win against Guardiola’s men at the Emirates Stadium.

Arteta’s men are in scintillating form in the league this season, winning three matches with an aggregate score of 9-0. But their narrow defeat by Liverpool showed that they are not invincible.

The head-to-head record between Arsenal and City adds extra spice to the occasion. Historically, Arsenal hold the edge with 101 wins to City’s 65 across 213 meetings since 1893.

What matters more is recent fixtures and the Gunners’ 5-1 rout of City in February at the Emirates was a statement of intent. The reverse fixture in September 2024 ended in a dramatic 2-2 draw, with John Stones’ last-gasp equaliser denying Arsenal a famous away win.

Arteta also gave an update on the fitness of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Ben White.

“If there is a chance (for Sunday), it will be (known) after Saturday’s (training) session. They haven’t done anything yet, but we will have more information on Saturday,” the Spaniard said.

City have not beaten Arsenal since April 2023 and a victory in north London would be a significant boost to Guardiola, who is in the midst of a major rebuild after last season’s disappointing third-place finish.

The team started with a 4-0 demolition of Wolverhampton Wanderers, but back-to-back losses to Brighton & Hove Albion (2-1) and Tottenham Hotspur (2-0) have raised questions about their defensive solidity. 

City have bounced back from those defeats, however, with a 3-0 win over rivals Manchester United and a 2-0 Champions League victory over Napoli in midweek.

This clash promises to be a tactical chess match, with Arteta’s high-pressing system facing off against Guardiola’s possession-based philosophy.

Arsenal will look to exploit their home advantage, but City striker Erling Haaland, who has scored four goals in his last three club matches in all competitions, remains a constant threat.

With both teams vying for early supremacy in the title race, the Emirates encounter could be a defining moment in the Premier League season.

Off the pitch, Arsenal have announced a major boardroom reshuffle, with executive vice-chair Tim Lewis leaving the club and managing director Richard Garlick promoted to chief executive with immediate effect.

Lewis, who was appointed executive vice-chair in March 2023, has been advising Kroenke Sports & Entertainment since 2007 and joined Arsenal’s board as director in September 2020.

Garlick, who arrived at Arsenal in 2021 as director of football operations, has served as managing director for the past year. AFP, REUTERS