EPL

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hails the ‘maturity’ of young Gunners after City win

By Sports Desk October 08, 2023

Mikel Arteta lauded the maturity of Arsenal after they sent a message with a first Premier League win over Manchester City since 2015.

Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected effort in the 86th minute ended the Gunners’ run of 12 consecutive top-flight defeats to Pep Guardiola’s side.

It helped Arsenal leapfrog City in the table to finish the weekend as joint leaders and while Guardiola insisted his champions are happy to chase again like they managed successfully last season, it felt like a potentially decisive early blow had been landed between these title rivals.

“A great feeling. You could sense it’s been so many years without beating them. Today I think we beat the best team in the world without a question of a doubt,” Arteta said.

“We did it in a great way because there were moments where we had to suffer and moments where we showed real desire, determination and belief to beat them, so I’m really happy.

“Certainly it sends a message to the team to keep believing in what they’re doing because they’re a fantastic group of players.

“The way they try and the chemistry that they have, you need it to be there. So, I’m really proud.

“The team showed a real maturity today, that comes from experiences. Sometimes you need that to become a better team.”

Arsenal’s winner was created by Arteta’s substitutes, with Thomas Partey’s cross-field ball headed down by Takehiro Tomiyasu to Kai Havertz, who teed up Martinelli and the forward’s first-time effort deflected off Nathan Ake and past Ederson.

It ensured the post-match narrative shifted away from Mateo Kovacic after the Manchester City midfielder was fortunate to avoid a first-half red card.

The VAR checked his late tackle on Martin Odegaard in the 29th minute but decided against upgrading a caution and referee Michael Oliver kept his cards in his pocket six minutes later when Kovacic caught Declan Rice.

Arteta added: “I saw the action live and it looked like a big challenge. I haven’t seen the replay.

“I’m not bothered actually. I just want to enjoy the win. I’ll hear if we talk about it and I understand if we have to do something about it but we won the game, thankfully.”

Opposite number Guardiola said: “Well for the reaction from everyone for a separate action? I don’t know.

“I’m pretty sure he was not sent off because it was not a sending off. I am pretty sure he would have sent him off if it was a sending off.”

Defeat for City makes it back-to-back Premier League losses – which last happened in December 2018 – and three in four in all competitions after going down to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, Wolves and now Arsenal.

Lynchpin midfielder Rodri, out due to suspension, has been a big miss in those defeats but Guardiola says his team are comfortable being behind the eight ball right now – with Tottenham and Arsenal holding a two-point advantage – in pursuit of a record fourth Premier League crown.

He said: “Rodri is a really important player, like the other ones, for the fact that last year he plays a lot of games.

“Yeah, Carabao Cup was a little bit different but of course against Wolves it was important and today as well. We know it and as a manager I have to find the moment he is not there, the way to do it.

“I have gratitude for the guys, they give everything, they fought and I know how disappointed they are because we are not used (to losing) but it is football, it happens.

“No team ever won four in a row, so for the statistics it didn’t happen, but we are in October and sometimes it is good to go behind.

“It is not the first time we are behind and the contenders are up front. Last season we were much, much behind than here, but the season is long.”

Guardiola was more coy on an incident at full-time between Erling Haaland, who failed to have a single shot, and Arsenal set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.

Words were exchanged between Haaland and Jover, with staff from both clubs involved after the full-time whistle.

“I know what happened but I won’t say anything. They (Arsenal) know it,” Guardiola smiled.

Related items

  • Seattle Sounders v LA Galaxy: Sluggish starts frustrating Vanney Seattle Sounders v LA Galaxy: Sluggish starts frustrating Vanney

    LA Galaxy coach Greg Vanney has urged his team to start sharply when they take on the Seattle Sounders on Sunday.

    The Galaxy went down 2-0 to Austin FC last time out, and will look to get back to winning ways when they head up the West Coast to face the Sounders, who they beat 1-0 in March.

    Vanney’s side found themselves 2-0 down after just 19 minutes against Austin, though, and the Galaxy coach is growing increasingly frustrated with his team’s sloppy starts.

    In quotes reported by The Galactic Tribune, Vanney said: “We've got to do a better job of not starting slow and getting ourselves behind the game one and two goals because then it certainly incentivises the opposition to sit a little bit lower and really kind of protect the face of the goal.”

    Vanney also pointed out that sluggishness in the final third is proving equally as costly.

    He added: “The speed of our final actions when we are in possession and we do find those moments that we need to break, with the timing of things, needs to be sharper. I feel like we weren't so sharp on that side of things so that we can get to the necessary spots.”

    For experienced defender Maya Yoshida, there were few excuses after the Austin loss.

    “We were not enough. I don't deserve anything for my performance,” he said. “We deserved to lose. We are very disappointed. We have to learn from this defeat.”

    The Galaxy went into the weekend second in the Western Conference, 10 places and nine points above the Sounders.

    PLAYERS TO WATCH

    Seattle Sounders – Raul Ruidiaz

    Ruidiaz and team-mate Jordan Morris have each scored nine goals against the Galaxy in their MLS careers. Since 2016, the only players with more goals against a single opponent are Carlos Vela (10 vs. Galaxy), Jeremy Ebobisse (10 vs. Galaxy) and Kei Kamara (10 vs. Montreal).

    LA Galaxy – Riqui Puig

    Puig had a fine campaign last year and the former Barcelona midfielder has picked up where he left off, scoring three goals and creating two more so far this season.

    MATCH PREDICTION: SEATTLE SOUNDERS WIN

    The Galaxy’s loss to Austin ended a run of 18 straight matches with at least one goal in all competitions, scoring 41 total times during that run (2.3 goals per match). It was the Galaxy’s longest run of games with a goal in all competitions since a 21-match run in 2014.

    The Sounders won their second match of the season on Tuesday, a 3-2 victory in Philadelphia. Seattle have scored eight goals in their two wins this year (5-0 vs. CF Montreal in April) and six goals in their other eight matches (D3 L5).

    The Galaxy beat Seattle at home on March 30, ending an 11-match MLS winless run against the Sounders (D4 L7). The Galaxy last won consecutive MLS matches against Seattle in April-August 2015.

    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    Seattle Sounders – 53.9%

    LA Galaxy – 20.1%

    Draw – 26%

  • Haaland pinpoints collective Man City quality after four-goal blitz of Wolves Haaland pinpoints collective Man City quality after four-goal blitz of Wolves

    Erling Haaland blasted four goals past Wolves in a one-man Premier League show but the Manchester City forward says it would not be possible without manager Pep Guardiola or his team-mates.

    The City talisman took his top-flight tally to 25 for this season, moving five clear of his nearest challenger in the Premier League Golden Boot race, after Saturday's 5-1 thrashing of Wolves.

    Haaland was twice on target from the penalty spot as part of his first-half hat-trick, adding another after the interval with an arrowed strike into the top-left corner.

    It was the first time the Norway star has managed four goals in one Premier League game, with his quartet of strikes coming in 54 minutes. Only Gabriel Jesus has scored as many earlier in one match, doing so in 53 minutes against Watford in April 2022.

    Haaland also became the third player to score multiple first-half hat-tricks in Premier League history (also against Nottingham Forest last season), along with Andrew Cole and Michael Owen (two each).

    Yet the superstar attacker says his exploits would not be possible without his City colleagues or boss Guardiola.

    "I've got a not-too-bad manager who pushes me and look at the players around me," Haaland told Sky Sports when asked about his motivations.

    "Without them, it would not be possible. Look ahead, look to next one – four finals left for the season. We're going to go for it and focus on Fulham."

    It was Haaland's sixth Premier League hat-trick for City, with only seven players netting more in the competition’s history. All six of those trebles have been at the Etihad, only three have more at a single venue.

    Haaland's second strike came from a towering header following Rodri's right-wing centre, which he suggested would delight his father Alfie.

    "That's a beautiful goal," the Norwegian said of his headed finish. "My father is going to be happy with that one.

    "A nice celebration, I enjoyed that one. I'm scoring more headers, I try to develop and keep going."

    City are within a point of Premier League leaders Arsenal and Guardiola's side still have a game in hand against Tottenham on May 14.

    Despite the thrashing of Wolves, Haaland insists Guardiola remains intent on winning the remaining games, rather than calculating the probabilities needed on goal difference.

    "First of all it's about winning the games but, of course, you want to have the best possible goal difference," he added. "Let's not think about that. Think about Fulham."

  • Mallorca 0-1 Atletico Madrid: Early Riquelme strike earns narrow win Mallorca 0-1 Atletico Madrid: Early Riquelme strike earns narrow win

    Atletico Madrid closed in on a Champions League spot after winger Rodrigo Riquelme's early strike earned his side a 1-0 win at Mallorca in LaLiga on Saturday.

    With four games remaining, Diego Simeone's side are fourth in the standings on 67 points, six ahead of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, who beat Getafe on Friday.

    There was an end-of-the-season feel at a half-empty Son Moix stadium with both teams lacking urgency in a lacklustre match, with the only standout moment being Riquelme's fine individual effort in the fifth minute, which ultimately secured the win for the visitors.

    Riquelme pounced on a loose ball in the edge of the box and cleared two defenders before unleashing an unstoppable strike just inside the right post.

    Data Debrief: Mallorca's blunt attack easily stopped

    Mallorca mustered an expected goals of just 0.24 in this game, and they have now failed to score in 15 of their 34 league games this season. Only Cadiz (17) have failed to score more often in the competition this term.

    That is despite the hosts having attempted 526 passes in this game, their highest total in a single league match this season.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.