The top two teams in the Premier League are Manchester City F.C. and Arsenal F.C., and they are neck and neck with the end of the season in sight, but this will only end one way — with Manchester City claiming their ninth Premier League title.
Watching Arsenal is like watching “Game of Thrones,” because everything builds towards a spectacular ending just to leave fans shaking their heads. Time and time again, Arsenal has found themselves within arms length of the Premier League title just to throw the opportunity away.
After an intense head-to-head encounter on April 19, which ended in a Manchester City 2-1 win, both teams are looking to secure points from the rest of their remaining games. While Arsenal is currently sitting at the top of the table, Manchester City has a game in hand to secure the title. Statistically, Arsenal’s goal differential is greater than Manchester City’s, which can benefit Arsenal if the title race comes down to the wire.
However, Arsenal’s weaknesses come down to their inability to score goals. Even though their offense on paper is world-class, they always seem to disappoint, especially in big games.
Viktor Gyökeres, who signed for Arsenal this season, has piled up goals against bottom feeders, having scored 10 of his 14 Premier League goals against lower half teams. In a game against third place Manchester United F.C., Gyökeres recorded more hair flicks than touches on the ball, with 32 hair flicks compared to his 21 touches on the ball prior to being subbed off.
Additionally, Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli has been a major letdown this season, having only netted one goal in the Premier League.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s tactics have been nothing short of baffling in big moments. During their February 19 matchup with Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. who sat dead last in the Premier League, Arsenal had a 2-0 cushion that would evaporate as Arteta decided to play defensively, and Wolves would go on to equalize the game, stealing a point. Games like this have proven costly, as the title race wouldn’t be nearly as close as it is today if it weren’t for Arteta’s defensive tactics.
Not only does Arsenal have poor tactics and a lack of attacking firepower in big games, but they also possess a weak mentality. Earlier this season, Arsenal booked their spot in the Football Association (FA) Cup Quarterfinal. There, they played English Football League (EFL) Championship side Southampton F.C. In typical Arsenal fashion, they would go on to lose 2-1.
Furthermore, in the 2022-23 season, it seemed inevitable that Arsenal would win their first Premier League title in two decades. At one point, they sat firmly in control, eight points clear at the top of the table, sitting in front for 244 out of the 296 days of the season, only for them to imitate the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors and bottle the title to Manchester City in the end. At one point during this period, they lost 4-1 to Manchester City, which was the nail in the coffin to their title winning dreams.
The similarities between the 2022-23 season and this season are striking. This season, Arsenal once possessed a nine point lead at the top of the Premier League table, but this lead dwindled as time has passed. Additionally, Arsenal has led the table for 235 days so far, making their fans feel as if they are witnessing history again.
Dos Pueblos High School student Lorenzo Meyer (11) shared a similar sentiment in his prediction.
“Manchester City is going to win because Arsenal is going to choke just like they always do,” Meyer said. “[Gabriel Magalhaes] is a prime example of choking: He consistently makes crucial mistakes in big moments, which end up costing Arsenal.”
It isn’t just Arsenal’s inability to get the job done that will lead to them losing out on the title, but also the sheer quality of players that Manchester City possess.
This season, Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has bagged a ridiculous 26 Premier League goals, all the while his teammate Rayan Cherki has been lighting up the league in his first season by dishing out 12 assists, the second most in the league, while putting the ball in the net four times himself. Manchester City’s attack possesses all of the qualities that Arsenal’s attack lacks: an out and out goal scorer like Haaland and a creative player like Cherki. Additionally, Man City winger Jeremy Doku has been in top form lately, having scored five times and getting two assists in his last five games.
“Jeremy Doku has been an absolute pleasure to watch. He’s just such a natural player. He plays with his instincts, he’s such a good dribbler, and scores amazing goals,” Meyer said. “Also Cherki plays with absolute class; he can use both of his feet. He can provide assists with his creativity, and he can score them himself.”
Manchester City’s attack isn’t the only thing that is deadly—their defense is too. Manchester City has the best goalkeeper in the world in Gianlugi Donnarumma, who has already won a multitude of trophies that Arsenal could only dream of winning: He claimed a UEFA Champions League title, a UEFA European Championship, four Ligue 1 titles, and an EFL Cup title. Donarrumma is a legit player as well, not just an award winner, as he holds the highest save percentage of any goalkeeper in the Premier League this season at 73.6%.
Additionally, center-back Abdukodir Khusanov has been an absolute warrior this season. He may not light up the stat sheet by any means, but his pace and play are as easy on the eye as watching a ballerina twirl through the air. Reaching a record 35.8 kilometers per hour top speed for a center-back this season, Khusanov is wicked fast. He also produces game-changing tackles when it matters most, like his amazing performances in the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup where he made 17 tackles total. Khusanov’s defending prowess combined with Donarruma’s elite shot stopping ability and experience will ultimately get Manchester City across the line ahead of Arsenal.
All in all, Arsenal’s lack of firepower in offense during big games, their history of bottling, and Manchester City’s completeness from front to back creates a recipe for success for Manchester City and failure for Arsenal when the final day of the season arrives.
