Arsenal’s two points lost as good as defeat to Man City giants
After Sunday night’s emotional encounter at Anfield, Mikel Arteta may have been reflecting on a comment from Jurgen Klopp.
“We have to be very, very close to perfection to win the Premier League, if that’s the case,” said the Liverpool manager, citing “that” as the “quality and financial strength” that Manchester City possess.
It was 2019, when Liverpool finished second with 97 points, one behind City, but enough to win the Premier League every season before Pep Guardiola claimed his first league title in 2018.
Frankly, Liverpool weren’t supposed to be “near perfect” when they were crowned champions the following season, but they played like that and felt they had to play like that.
Eventually he took even more points, 99, and it was City who lost, albeit for the only time in six seasons. Leaving Anfield with a late goal after a 2-0 lead and a draw looks like a defeat for any team, but even more so for Arsenal when the margins at the top are so tight.
Logically and traditionally, a 2-2 draw and a point away to Liverpool is always a positive result – City lost 1-0 there last October – but the landscape of what it takes to win the title has changed considerably since Guardiola in England.
There’s so little wiggle room, especially when a light blue behemoth has revved its engines and is approaching in the rearview mirror. Had Arsenal beaten Liverpool they would undoubtedly be the title favorites and it was clearly in their hands. However, even a tie now feels like the momentum has returned to City, and at a crucial time. Guardiola’s side have won their last eight games in all competitions and their last defeat came at Tottenham Hotspur – a day before they were charged by the Premier League with breaching Financial Fair Play rules more than 100 times in nine years. Of course, these serious allegations add an extra layer to Klopp’s commentary on City’s ‘financial power’.
The theory that City, fueled by Guardiola’s passionate defense, have since gone wild, fueled by a sense that the world is against them, is slightly undermined by the 1-1 draw they suffered at Nottingham Forest.
But overall it is, not least because it was a crazy game where they could have – should have scored multiple times. But their season is undoubtedly gaining momentum, with 21 goals scored in their last four wins and their concentration hardening. Once again, they appear menacing and implacable.
Arsenal are ready to watch Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich and hope the clash with another powerhouse could give City a jolt as in the Premier League it’s hard to see where from. That will come before the two Etihad teams meet in June, 26.
Premier League Table
* Postponed due to the FA Cup semi-final between Man City and Sheffield United and has not yet been postponed
However, there is another factor. Due to the Champions League and FA Cup, City will only play one league game before facing Arsenal – at home to Leicester City on Saturday, where they are expected to close the gap to the top to just three points .
However, Arsenal have games against relegation-threatened West Ham and Southampton. It means they come nine points clear at City, despite having played two games more.
Will it make a difference? Probably not. However, what happens to the Etihad will happen. Arsenal bounced back strongly when they lost at home to City in February, picking up an impressive seven league wins. However, after playing City this time around, it seems a little more difficult. He plays Chelsea at home, then Newcastle away and Brighton at home. That foursome of games will determine whether they win their first title since 2004 and Arsenal really need to be “near perfect” to prevail.
It is believed they will lose at the Etihad and whilst this is incorrect, the fact is that if a pundit or analyst were asked to spend the last pound on whoever comes out on top, few would bet against City.
Arsenal are six points ahead and have eight games left to go. City have nine league games to play. Had Arsenal persevered and won at Anfield, it would have given them an eight point lead, meaning they could even have afforded to go to City and lose and still win the title.
Some of Arsenal matches
Now, if both sides continue to win, that scenario has been taken away from them. It shows just how important Roberto Firmino’s header could be.
Much like in January 2019, when John Stones cleared the ball just 11mm from crossing the goal line to save Sadio Mane when City and Liverpool’s game at the Etihad was scoreless, this could be a pivotal moment. City won 2-1 that night and went on to claim the title by one point, leading to Klopp’s famous ‘near perfect’ catchphrase.
Maybe, for Arsenal, it will be Mohamed Salah’s penalty miss or Aaron Ramsdale’s astonishing saves. They should actually have lost on Sunday, so maybe it was just a point gained. Time will tell. For now, though, it feels like Arsenal have allowed a crucial advantage to slip as that juggernaut begins to close in on them.
Do you feel Arsenal will improve in performance after picking a point from Anfield? Leave your comments…