Man.City - Arsenal battle: Is coach Pep Guardiola worried?

Man.City and Arsenal have had a busy and tiring week, with both teams having to enter the Champions League matches. Both teams could only draw 0-0 against opponents Inter Milan and Atalanta respectively, after winning 2-1 against Brentford and 1-0 against Tottenham last weekend.

Will Erling Haaland (middle) continue to score for Man.City when he returns to the Premier League?

Man.City is currently on a 4-match winning streak in the Premier League, while Arsenal is right behind with 3 wins and 1 draw. While the "Man Xanh" is still flying high thanks to Erling Haaland's scoring ability (9 goals in 4 matches), the "Gunners" show diversity in their playing style, they have many solutions and are ready to resolve the deadlock of the match with unexpected situations to win. This is demonstrated in the victory over Tottenham thanks to a goal scored by center-back Gabriel Magalhaes after a corner kick.

"They have depth in the squad, adding players with top quality. Arsenal are getting better and better and more unpredictable. They are getting stronger every year. If I say something, they will say I'm playing mind games or something like that; but I rate them highly," coach Pep Guardiola emphasized.

This is a fact, Man.City has won 8 consecutive matches against Arsenal in all competitions since 2020, but since the 2023 - 2024 season, they have begun to feel and really have difficulty against this rival. Like the loss in the 2023 Community Shield (1-1 draw, 1-4 loss after penalty shootout), or the two matches in the Premier League last season, losing 0-1 away and drawing 0-0 at home.

Therefore, each round for the two teams is now a battle for every point. In particular, the direct confrontation between the two is even more fierce, with any result that can decide the race for the whole season.

The force factor for this match will be the key to achieving the desired result. On Man.City's side, midfielder De Bruyne was injured in the match against Inter Milan, so right after the first half, coach Pep Guardiola took this player off because he did not want to take risks. Whether De Bruyne will play in the match against Arsenal or not, coach Pep Guardiola left the decision open until the last minute, because this is a very important player for Man.City, in the context that Phil Foden has just recovered from injury. But with or without De Bruyne, Man.City still has many other solutions, such as the new star Savinho who is playing very well and the return of Rodri in the midfield.

While Arsenal continue to be without captain Odegaard, similarly Mikel Merino, Zinchenko, Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney due to injury. But Calafiori and Saka are back in time.

Man.City and Arsenal both have their best players for the biggest battle at the beginning of the Premier League season. Therefore, the success or failure of the match may come from the tactical battle between the two coaches Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta. Fans are waiting for a turning point in the match to happen, as these two coaches are very familiar with each other and the playing style of both teams.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dai-chien-mancity-arsenal-hlv-pep-guardiola-co-lo-lang-18524092123211466.htm