Faltering Manchester City and Arsenal look to gain foothold in EPL title race

LONDON – Manchester City and Arsenal have led the way in the last two English Premier League title races, but both teams have hit a slump heading into the weekend.

Crucially, their squad depth will be put to the test as they aim to reel in leaders Liverpool.

Champions City, who face a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion on Nov 9, have been counting the cost of injuries and, after some heavy rotation, Pep Guardiola’s side have lost their last three games in three different competitions.

Their 4-1 midweek mauling at Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League will especially sting, all the more so because the Portuguese side’s manager Ruben Amorim is moving to City’s rivals Manchester United soon.

Apart from City’s Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, key players such as Jack Grealish, Ruben Dias and John Stones remain sidelined.

But Guardiola is relishing the challenge of overcoming adversity and navigating his team through a rough patch.

“It’s a tough challenge, but it will be a tough season – we knew that from the start,” he said.

“This is what it is. I like it, I love it, I want to face it and lift my players and try it.”

City were ousted from the League Cup by Tottenham Hotspur last week. Their 32-match unbeaten run in the Premier League then came to an end at Bournemouth, before Sporting beat them.

On their three straight defeats, Guardiola brushed it off by simply saying: “Different competitions.

“I’ve known them (the players) for nine years, they’ve proved many times what they are capable of. It’s not changed the opinion I have of them, it’s part of football, sometimes (losses) happen.”

Despite their recent struggles, City – gunning for a fifth consecutive Premier League title – are just two points behind Liverpool but will be wary of losing further ground.

They face a tricky task at eighth-placed Brighton, where Fabian Hurzeler is developing a side who have had 10 different league scorers this season, though they have let several leads slip.

“I’m really impressed by the way they play,” Guardiola added. “I think the director, chairman made an incredible job there.

“Brighton made a lot of signings this season and he (Hurzeler) is doing an incredible job: personality, rhythm, the way they play was outstanding.

“Always they have been tough since (former manager) Graham Potter, away or home it doesn’t matter, and this will be no exception.”

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, meanwhile, have also looked flat in recent outings and two straight 1-0 losses away at Newcastle United and Inter Milan have left them fifth in the Premier League and 12th in the Champions League.

Although they will be glad to see their influential skipper Martin Odegaard back in the fray after being injured in September, there are doubts that he can start or even play 90 minutes in the London derby at Chelsea on Nov 10.

Without Odegaard, Arsenal have struggled to create chances through the middle, while the Norwegian’s eye for goal has also been sorely missed by an attack that has looked sterile recently.

With Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus misfiring, the burden to provide the magic touch has fallen on 23-year-old Bukayo Saka, but he cannot do it all alone.

Arsenal have lost three of their last six games in all competitions – as many defeats as in their previous 32 matches.

Injuries to Declan Rice and Kai Havertz are also concerns, while Arteta did not rotate his squad, playing near-identical line-ups in both games, which could see tired legs at Stamford Bridge.

Arteta has attempted to energise his players in the wake of their loss to Inter.

“The performance, the attitude, the dominance that we showed against one of the best teams in Europe in this stadium – I haven’t seen it in all the other games that I’ve watched,” he said.

“If we play the way we played, we’ll have a big chance to win against Chelsea.” REUTERS, AFP