Arsenal have beaten Man City for the first time in 15 attempts dating back to January 2015.
The impact on Arsenal of Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City could be profound.
They had suffered a staggering 12 consecutive defeats in that run including two last season, when they were outclassed and outmuscled as Pep Guardiola’s side secured a fifth title in six seasons.
In that context, there was a cathartic element to the celebrations greeting Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected 86th-minute winner: eight years of pain and suffering exorcised in a moment that felt like the shattering of a glass ceiling.
City were well below par — more of that later — but Arsenal were without talismanic winger Bukayo Saka for the first time in 88 consecutive league games and still found a way to beat English football’s leading side and end a hoodoo that has inevitably chipped away at their self-belief. Instead, they now have a positive reference point for future challenges, memories of an experience to rival any Arsenal have enjoyed inside Emirates Stadium which was a picture of euphoria at the final whistle.
Almost ludicrously given the calibre of opposition, this was Arsenal’s first clean sheet at home in the league this season. Arteta explained that porous record by his team struggling to handle the emotion of certain occasions, trying to attack too quickly and leaving themselves exposed. They were much more balanced here, restricting City to four shots and only one shot on target, which came in the fourth minute as Josko Gvardiol turned an effort toward goal which Declan Rice cleared off the line before Nathan Aké blazed over moments later.
It was the most threatening City were all afternoon, a testament to the manner in which William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes kept Erling Haaland quiet as well as Rice making 13 defensive interventions — a figure only surpassed by Gvardiol on either side. Haaland ended with an individual expected goals figure of 0.00.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya faced frustration from home supporters on multiple occasions as he waited in possession to play the ball, something Arteta took responsibility for.
But this defeat also raises questions about City’s ability to cope without Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri after slipping to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since December 2018. De Bruyne was instrumental in both City victories over Arsenal last season. There remains no other midfielder in the league capable of matching his ingenuity in possession.
But given the combative nature of this game — particularly away from home — Rodri’s absence felt equally significant. They have now lost five of their last eight league away games in which Rodri hasn’t started. Their overall win record since his league debut in August 2019 is 74 per cent. That drops to below 60 per cent without him and they have now lost to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, Wolves last weekend and Arsenal here as he serves a three-game suspension.
Spare a thought for Kalvin Phillips, who was told he came back from the World Cup last season overweight, then hearing Guardiola admitted he can’t get the best out of him after City made a late move to sign Rice before he joined Arsenal from West Ham and now unable to get on the pitch — even as a substitute — when Rodri is out for the biggest game of the season so far.
Guardiola’s decision to use Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis to flood central midfield may have stifled Arsenal but sacrificed a lot of City’s creativity at the same time.
It could have been a much easier afternoon for Arsenal had Kovacic seen red, either for his first bad tackle on Martin Odegaard — for which he was booked — or the second on Rice, for which he escaped censure entirely.
But the fact they won 11 versus 11 will have more meaning for them in the long run, although Guardiola will hardly panic given they overhauled an eight-point deficit to Arsenal at the beginning of April. The gap now is just two points to the Gunners and Tottenham — who top the table going into the international break courtesy of their north London rivals beating City.
City know they can last the course. But Arsenal now have more belief than ever they could yet do the same.
Elsewhere West Ham and Newcastle ended 2-2 at the London Stadium while Brighton Hove Albion and Liverpool also ended by the same score line while Wolves and Aston Villa ended in a 1-1 draw on Super Sunday.
Arsenal have beaten Man City for the first time in 15 attempts dating back to January 2015.
The impact on Arsenal of Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City could be profound.
They had suffered a staggering 12 consecutive defeats in that run including two last season, when they were outclassed and outmuscled as Pep Guardiola’s side secured a fifth title in six seasons.
In that context, there was a cathartic element to the celebrations greeting Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected 86th-minute winner: eight years of pain and suffering exorcised in a moment that felt like the shattering of a glass ceiling.
City were well below par — more of that later — but Arsenal were without talismanic winger Bukayo Saka for the first time in 88 consecutive league games and still found a way to beat English football’s leading side and end a hoodoo that has inevitably chipped away at their self-belief. Instead, they now have a positive reference point for future challenges, memories of an experience to rival any Arsenal have enjoyed inside Emirates Stadium which was a picture of euphoria at the final whistle.
Almost ludicrously given the calibre of opposition, this was Arsenal’s first clean sheet at home in the league this season. Arteta explained that porous record by his team struggling to handle the emotion of certain occasions, trying to attack too quickly and leaving themselves exposed. They were much more balanced here, restricting City to four shots and only one shot on target, which came in the fourth minute as Josko Gvardiol turned an effort toward goal which Declan Rice cleared off the line before Nathan Aké blazed over moments later.
It was the most threatening City were all afternoon, a testament to the manner in which William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes kept Erling Haaland quiet as well as Rice making 13 defensive interventions — a figure only surpassed by Gvardiol on either side. Haaland ended with an individual expected goals figure of 0.00.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya faced frustration from home supporters on multiple occasions as he waited in possession to play the ball, something Arteta took responsibility for.
But this defeat also raises questions about City’s ability to cope without Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri after slipping to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since December 2018. De Bruyne was instrumental in both City victories over Arsenal last season. There remains no other midfielder in the league capable of matching his ingenuity in possession.
But given the combative nature of this game — particularly away from home — Rodri’s absence felt equally significant. They have now lost five of their last eight league away games in which Rodri hasn’t started. Their overall win record since his league debut in August 2019 is 74 per cent. That drops to below 60 per cent without him and they have now lost to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, Wolves last weekend and Arsenal here as he serves a three-game suspension.
Spare a thought for Kalvin Phillips, who was told he came back from the World Cup last season overweight, then hearing Guardiola admitted he can’t get the best out of him after City made a late move to sign Rice before he joined Arsenal from West Ham and now unable to get on the pitch — even as a substitute — when Rodri is out for the biggest game of the season so far.
Guardiola’s decision to use Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis to flood central midfield may have stifled Arsenal but sacrificed a lot of City’s creativity at the same time.
It could have been a much easier afternoon for Arsenal had Kovacic seen red, either for his first bad tackle on Martin Odegaard — for which he was booked — or the second on Rice, for which he escaped censure entirely.
But the fact they won 11 versus 11 will have more meaning for them in the long run, although Guardiola will hardly panic given they overhauled an eight-point deficit to Arsenal at the beginning of April. The gap now is just two points to the Gunners and Tottenham — who top the table going into the international break courtesy of their north London rivals beating City.
City know they can last the course. But Arsenal now have more belief than ever they could yet do the same.
Elsewhere West Ham and Newcastle ended 2-2 at the London Stadium while Brighton Hove Albion and Liverpool also ended by the same score line while Wolves and Aston Villa ended in a 1-1 draw on Super Sunday.
Arsenal have beaten Man City for the first time in 15 attempts dating back to January 2015.
The impact on Arsenal of Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City could be profound.
They had suffered a staggering 12 consecutive defeats in that run including two last season, when they were outclassed and outmuscled as Pep Guardiola’s side secured a fifth title in six seasons.
In that context, there was a cathartic element to the celebrations greeting Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected 86th-minute winner: eight years of pain and suffering exorcised in a moment that felt like the shattering of a glass ceiling.
City were well below par — more of that later — but Arsenal were without talismanic winger Bukayo Saka for the first time in 88 consecutive league games and still found a way to beat English football’s leading side and end a hoodoo that has inevitably chipped away at their self-belief. Instead, they now have a positive reference point for future challenges, memories of an experience to rival any Arsenal have enjoyed inside Emirates Stadium which was a picture of euphoria at the final whistle.
Almost ludicrously given the calibre of opposition, this was Arsenal’s first clean sheet at home in the league this season. Arteta explained that porous record by his team struggling to handle the emotion of certain occasions, trying to attack too quickly and leaving themselves exposed. They were much more balanced here, restricting City to four shots and only one shot on target, which came in the fourth minute as Josko Gvardiol turned an effort toward goal which Declan Rice cleared off the line before Nathan Aké blazed over moments later.
It was the most threatening City were all afternoon, a testament to the manner in which William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes kept Erling Haaland quiet as well as Rice making 13 defensive interventions — a figure only surpassed by Gvardiol on either side. Haaland ended with an individual expected goals figure of 0.00.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya faced frustration from home supporters on multiple occasions as he waited in possession to play the ball, something Arteta took responsibility for.
But this defeat also raises questions about City’s ability to cope without Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri after slipping to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since December 2018. De Bruyne was instrumental in both City victories over Arsenal last season. There remains no other midfielder in the league capable of matching his ingenuity in possession.
But given the combative nature of this game — particularly away from home — Rodri’s absence felt equally significant. They have now lost five of their last eight league away games in which Rodri hasn’t started. Their overall win record since his league debut in August 2019 is 74 per cent. That drops to below 60 per cent without him and they have now lost to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, Wolves last weekend and Arsenal here as he serves a three-game suspension.
Spare a thought for Kalvin Phillips, who was told he came back from the World Cup last season overweight, then hearing Guardiola admitted he can’t get the best out of him after City made a late move to sign Rice before he joined Arsenal from West Ham and now unable to get on the pitch — even as a substitute — when Rodri is out for the biggest game of the season so far.
Guardiola’s decision to use Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis to flood central midfield may have stifled Arsenal but sacrificed a lot of City’s creativity at the same time.
It could have been a much easier afternoon for Arsenal had Kovacic seen red, either for his first bad tackle on Martin Odegaard — for which he was booked — or the second on Rice, for which he escaped censure entirely.
But the fact they won 11 versus 11 will have more meaning for them in the long run, although Guardiola will hardly panic given they overhauled an eight-point deficit to Arsenal at the beginning of April. The gap now is just two points to the Gunners and Tottenham — who top the table going into the international break courtesy of their north London rivals beating City.
City know they can last the course. But Arsenal now have more belief than ever they could yet do the same.
Elsewhere West Ham and Newcastle ended 2-2 at the London Stadium while Brighton Hove Albion and Liverpool also ended by the same score line while Wolves and Aston Villa ended in a 1-1 draw on Super Sunday.
Arsenal have beaten Man City for the first time in 15 attempts dating back to January 2015.
The impact on Arsenal of Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City could be profound.
They had suffered a staggering 12 consecutive defeats in that run including two last season, when they were outclassed and outmuscled as Pep Guardiola’s side secured a fifth title in six seasons.
In that context, there was a cathartic element to the celebrations greeting Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected 86th-minute winner: eight years of pain and suffering exorcised in a moment that felt like the shattering of a glass ceiling.
City were well below par — more of that later — but Arsenal were without talismanic winger Bukayo Saka for the first time in 88 consecutive league games and still found a way to beat English football’s leading side and end a hoodoo that has inevitably chipped away at their self-belief. Instead, they now have a positive reference point for future challenges, memories of an experience to rival any Arsenal have enjoyed inside Emirates Stadium which was a picture of euphoria at the final whistle.
Almost ludicrously given the calibre of opposition, this was Arsenal’s first clean sheet at home in the league this season. Arteta explained that porous record by his team struggling to handle the emotion of certain occasions, trying to attack too quickly and leaving themselves exposed. They were much more balanced here, restricting City to four shots and only one shot on target, which came in the fourth minute as Josko Gvardiol turned an effort toward goal which Declan Rice cleared off the line before Nathan Aké blazed over moments later.
It was the most threatening City were all afternoon, a testament to the manner in which William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes kept Erling Haaland quiet as well as Rice making 13 defensive interventions — a figure only surpassed by Gvardiol on either side. Haaland ended with an individual expected goals figure of 0.00.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya faced frustration from home supporters on multiple occasions as he waited in possession to play the ball, something Arteta took responsibility for.
But this defeat also raises questions about City’s ability to cope without Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri after slipping to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since December 2018. De Bruyne was instrumental in both City victories over Arsenal last season. There remains no other midfielder in the league capable of matching his ingenuity in possession.
But given the combative nature of this game — particularly away from home — Rodri’s absence felt equally significant. They have now lost five of their last eight league away games in which Rodri hasn’t started. Their overall win record since his league debut in August 2019 is 74 per cent. That drops to below 60 per cent without him and they have now lost to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, Wolves last weekend and Arsenal here as he serves a three-game suspension.
Spare a thought for Kalvin Phillips, who was told he came back from the World Cup last season overweight, then hearing Guardiola admitted he can’t get the best out of him after City made a late move to sign Rice before he joined Arsenal from West Ham and now unable to get on the pitch — even as a substitute — when Rodri is out for the biggest game of the season so far.
Guardiola’s decision to use Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis to flood central midfield may have stifled Arsenal but sacrificed a lot of City’s creativity at the same time.
It could have been a much easier afternoon for Arsenal had Kovacic seen red, either for his first bad tackle on Martin Odegaard — for which he was booked — or the second on Rice, for which he escaped censure entirely.
But the fact they won 11 versus 11 will have more meaning for them in the long run, although Guardiola will hardly panic given they overhauled an eight-point deficit to Arsenal at the beginning of April. The gap now is just two points to the Gunners and Tottenham — who top the table going into the international break courtesy of their north London rivals beating City.
City know they can last the course. But Arsenal now have more belief than ever they could yet do the same.
Elsewhere West Ham and Newcastle ended 2-2 at the London Stadium while Brighton Hove Albion and Liverpool also ended by the same score line while Wolves and Aston Villa ended in a 1-1 draw on Super Sunday.
Arsenal have beaten Man City for the first time in 15 attempts dating back to January 2015.
The impact on Arsenal of Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City could be profound.
They had suffered a staggering 12 consecutive defeats in that run including two last season, when they were outclassed and outmuscled as Pep Guardiola’s side secured a fifth title in six seasons.
In that context, there was a cathartic element to the celebrations greeting Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected 86th-minute winner: eight years of pain and suffering exorcised in a moment that felt like the shattering of a glass ceiling.
City were well below par — more of that later — but Arsenal were without talismanic winger Bukayo Saka for the first time in 88 consecutive league games and still found a way to beat English football’s leading side and end a hoodoo that has inevitably chipped away at their self-belief. Instead, they now have a positive reference point for future challenges, memories of an experience to rival any Arsenal have enjoyed inside Emirates Stadium which was a picture of euphoria at the final whistle.
Almost ludicrously given the calibre of opposition, this was Arsenal’s first clean sheet at home in the league this season. Arteta explained that porous record by his team struggling to handle the emotion of certain occasions, trying to attack too quickly and leaving themselves exposed. They were much more balanced here, restricting City to four shots and only one shot on target, which came in the fourth minute as Josko Gvardiol turned an effort toward goal which Declan Rice cleared off the line before Nathan Aké blazed over moments later.
It was the most threatening City were all afternoon, a testament to the manner in which William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes kept Erling Haaland quiet as well as Rice making 13 defensive interventions — a figure only surpassed by Gvardiol on either side. Haaland ended with an individual expected goals figure of 0.00.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya faced frustration from home supporters on multiple occasions as he waited in possession to play the ball, something Arteta took responsibility for.
But this defeat also raises questions about City’s ability to cope without Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri after slipping to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since December 2018. De Bruyne was instrumental in both City victories over Arsenal last season. There remains no other midfielder in the league capable of matching his ingenuity in possession.
But given the combative nature of this game — particularly away from home — Rodri’s absence felt equally significant. They have now lost five of their last eight league away games in which Rodri hasn’t started. Their overall win record since his league debut in August 2019 is 74 per cent. That drops to below 60 per cent without him and they have now lost to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, Wolves last weekend and Arsenal here as he serves a three-game suspension.
Spare a thought for Kalvin Phillips, who was told he came back from the World Cup last season overweight, then hearing Guardiola admitted he can’t get the best out of him after City made a late move to sign Rice before he joined Arsenal from West Ham and now unable to get on the pitch — even as a substitute — when Rodri is out for the biggest game of the season so far.
Guardiola’s decision to use Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis to flood central midfield may have stifled Arsenal but sacrificed a lot of City’s creativity at the same time.
It could have been a much easier afternoon for Arsenal had Kovacic seen red, either for his first bad tackle on Martin Odegaard — for which he was booked — or the second on Rice, for which he escaped censure entirely.
But the fact they won 11 versus 11 will have more meaning for them in the long run, although Guardiola will hardly panic given they overhauled an eight-point deficit to Arsenal at the beginning of April. The gap now is just two points to the Gunners and Tottenham — who top the table going into the international break courtesy of their north London rivals beating City.
City know they can last the course. But Arsenal now have more belief than ever they could yet do the same.
Elsewhere West Ham and Newcastle ended 2-2 at the London Stadium while Brighton Hove Albion and Liverpool also ended by the same score line while Wolves and Aston Villa ended in a 1-1 draw on Super Sunday.
Arsenal have beaten Man City for the first time in 15 attempts dating back to January 2015.
The impact on Arsenal of Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City could be profound.
They had suffered a staggering 12 consecutive defeats in that run including two last season, when they were outclassed and outmuscled as Pep Guardiola’s side secured a fifth title in six seasons.
In that context, there was a cathartic element to the celebrations greeting Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected 86th-minute winner: eight years of pain and suffering exorcised in a moment that felt like the shattering of a glass ceiling.
City were well below par — more of that later — but Arsenal were without talismanic winger Bukayo Saka for the first time in 88 consecutive league games and still found a way to beat English football’s leading side and end a hoodoo that has inevitably chipped away at their self-belief. Instead, they now have a positive reference point for future challenges, memories of an experience to rival any Arsenal have enjoyed inside Emirates Stadium which was a picture of euphoria at the final whistle.
Almost ludicrously given the calibre of opposition, this was Arsenal’s first clean sheet at home in the league this season. Arteta explained that porous record by his team struggling to handle the emotion of certain occasions, trying to attack too quickly and leaving themselves exposed. They were much more balanced here, restricting City to four shots and only one shot on target, which came in the fourth minute as Josko Gvardiol turned an effort toward goal which Declan Rice cleared off the line before Nathan Aké blazed over moments later.
It was the most threatening City were all afternoon, a testament to the manner in which William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes kept Erling Haaland quiet as well as Rice making 13 defensive interventions — a figure only surpassed by Gvardiol on either side. Haaland ended with an individual expected goals figure of 0.00.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya faced frustration from home supporters on multiple occasions as he waited in possession to play the ball, something Arteta took responsibility for.
But this defeat also raises questions about City’s ability to cope without Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri after slipping to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since December 2018. De Bruyne was instrumental in both City victories over Arsenal last season. There remains no other midfielder in the league capable of matching his ingenuity in possession.
But given the combative nature of this game — particularly away from home — Rodri’s absence felt equally significant. They have now lost five of their last eight league away games in which Rodri hasn’t started. Their overall win record since his league debut in August 2019 is 74 per cent. That drops to below 60 per cent without him and they have now lost to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, Wolves last weekend and Arsenal here as he serves a three-game suspension.
Spare a thought for Kalvin Phillips, who was told he came back from the World Cup last season overweight, then hearing Guardiola admitted he can’t get the best out of him after City made a late move to sign Rice before he joined Arsenal from West Ham and now unable to get on the pitch — even as a substitute — when Rodri is out for the biggest game of the season so far.
Guardiola’s decision to use Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis to flood central midfield may have stifled Arsenal but sacrificed a lot of City’s creativity at the same time.
It could have been a much easier afternoon for Arsenal had Kovacic seen red, either for his first bad tackle on Martin Odegaard — for which he was booked — or the second on Rice, for which he escaped censure entirely.
But the fact they won 11 versus 11 will have more meaning for them in the long run, although Guardiola will hardly panic given they overhauled an eight-point deficit to Arsenal at the beginning of April. The gap now is just two points to the Gunners and Tottenham — who top the table going into the international break courtesy of their north London rivals beating City.
City know they can last the course. But Arsenal now have more belief than ever they could yet do the same.
Elsewhere West Ham and Newcastle ended 2-2 at the London Stadium while Brighton Hove Albion and Liverpool also ended by the same score line while Wolves and Aston Villa ended in a 1-1 draw on Super Sunday.
Arsenal have beaten Man City for the first time in 15 attempts dating back to January 2015.
The impact on Arsenal of Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City could be profound.
They had suffered a staggering 12 consecutive defeats in that run including two last season, when they were outclassed and outmuscled as Pep Guardiola’s side secured a fifth title in six seasons.
In that context, there was a cathartic element to the celebrations greeting Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected 86th-minute winner: eight years of pain and suffering exorcised in a moment that felt like the shattering of a glass ceiling.
City were well below par — more of that later — but Arsenal were without talismanic winger Bukayo Saka for the first time in 88 consecutive league games and still found a way to beat English football’s leading side and end a hoodoo that has inevitably chipped away at their self-belief. Instead, they now have a positive reference point for future challenges, memories of an experience to rival any Arsenal have enjoyed inside Emirates Stadium which was a picture of euphoria at the final whistle.
Almost ludicrously given the calibre of opposition, this was Arsenal’s first clean sheet at home in the league this season. Arteta explained that porous record by his team struggling to handle the emotion of certain occasions, trying to attack too quickly and leaving themselves exposed. They were much more balanced here, restricting City to four shots and only one shot on target, which came in the fourth minute as Josko Gvardiol turned an effort toward goal which Declan Rice cleared off the line before Nathan Aké blazed over moments later.
It was the most threatening City were all afternoon, a testament to the manner in which William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes kept Erling Haaland quiet as well as Rice making 13 defensive interventions — a figure only surpassed by Gvardiol on either side. Haaland ended with an individual expected goals figure of 0.00.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya faced frustration from home supporters on multiple occasions as he waited in possession to play the ball, something Arteta took responsibility for.
But this defeat also raises questions about City’s ability to cope without Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri after slipping to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since December 2018. De Bruyne was instrumental in both City victories over Arsenal last season. There remains no other midfielder in the league capable of matching his ingenuity in possession.
But given the combative nature of this game — particularly away from home — Rodri’s absence felt equally significant. They have now lost five of their last eight league away games in which Rodri hasn’t started. Their overall win record since his league debut in August 2019 is 74 per cent. That drops to below 60 per cent without him and they have now lost to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, Wolves last weekend and Arsenal here as he serves a three-game suspension.
Spare a thought for Kalvin Phillips, who was told he came back from the World Cup last season overweight, then hearing Guardiola admitted he can’t get the best out of him after City made a late move to sign Rice before he joined Arsenal from West Ham and now unable to get on the pitch — even as a substitute — when Rodri is out for the biggest game of the season so far.
Guardiola’s decision to use Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis to flood central midfield may have stifled Arsenal but sacrificed a lot of City’s creativity at the same time.
It could have been a much easier afternoon for Arsenal had Kovacic seen red, either for his first bad tackle on Martin Odegaard — for which he was booked — or the second on Rice, for which he escaped censure entirely.
But the fact they won 11 versus 11 will have more meaning for them in the long run, although Guardiola will hardly panic given they overhauled an eight-point deficit to Arsenal at the beginning of April. The gap now is just two points to the Gunners and Tottenham — who top the table going into the international break courtesy of their north London rivals beating City.
City know they can last the course. But Arsenal now have more belief than ever they could yet do the same.
Elsewhere West Ham and Newcastle ended 2-2 at the London Stadium while Brighton Hove Albion and Liverpool also ended by the same score line while Wolves and Aston Villa ended in a 1-1 draw on Super Sunday.
Arsenal have beaten Man City for the first time in 15 attempts dating back to January 2015.
The impact on Arsenal of Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City could be profound.
They had suffered a staggering 12 consecutive defeats in that run including two last season, when they were outclassed and outmuscled as Pep Guardiola’s side secured a fifth title in six seasons.
In that context, there was a cathartic element to the celebrations greeting Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected 86th-minute winner: eight years of pain and suffering exorcised in a moment that felt like the shattering of a glass ceiling.
City were well below par — more of that later — but Arsenal were without talismanic winger Bukayo Saka for the first time in 88 consecutive league games and still found a way to beat English football’s leading side and end a hoodoo that has inevitably chipped away at their self-belief. Instead, they now have a positive reference point for future challenges, memories of an experience to rival any Arsenal have enjoyed inside Emirates Stadium which was a picture of euphoria at the final whistle.
Almost ludicrously given the calibre of opposition, this was Arsenal’s first clean sheet at home in the league this season. Arteta explained that porous record by his team struggling to handle the emotion of certain occasions, trying to attack too quickly and leaving themselves exposed. They were much more balanced here, restricting City to four shots and only one shot on target, which came in the fourth minute as Josko Gvardiol turned an effort toward goal which Declan Rice cleared off the line before Nathan Aké blazed over moments later.
It was the most threatening City were all afternoon, a testament to the manner in which William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes kept Erling Haaland quiet as well as Rice making 13 defensive interventions — a figure only surpassed by Gvardiol on either side. Haaland ended with an individual expected goals figure of 0.00.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya faced frustration from home supporters on multiple occasions as he waited in possession to play the ball, something Arteta took responsibility for.
But this defeat also raises questions about City’s ability to cope without Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri after slipping to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since December 2018. De Bruyne was instrumental in both City victories over Arsenal last season. There remains no other midfielder in the league capable of matching his ingenuity in possession.
But given the combative nature of this game — particularly away from home — Rodri’s absence felt equally significant. They have now lost five of their last eight league away games in which Rodri hasn’t started. Their overall win record since his league debut in August 2019 is 74 per cent. That drops to below 60 per cent without him and they have now lost to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, Wolves last weekend and Arsenal here as he serves a three-game suspension.
Spare a thought for Kalvin Phillips, who was told he came back from the World Cup last season overweight, then hearing Guardiola admitted he can’t get the best out of him after City made a late move to sign Rice before he joined Arsenal from West Ham and now unable to get on the pitch — even as a substitute — when Rodri is out for the biggest game of the season so far.
Guardiola’s decision to use Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis to flood central midfield may have stifled Arsenal but sacrificed a lot of City’s creativity at the same time.
It could have been a much easier afternoon for Arsenal had Kovacic seen red, either for his first bad tackle on Martin Odegaard — for which he was booked — or the second on Rice, for which he escaped censure entirely.
But the fact they won 11 versus 11 will have more meaning for them in the long run, although Guardiola will hardly panic given they overhauled an eight-point deficit to Arsenal at the beginning of April. The gap now is just two points to the Gunners and Tottenham — who top the table going into the international break courtesy of their north London rivals beating City.
City know they can last the course. But Arsenal now have more belief than ever they could yet do the same.
Elsewhere West Ham and Newcastle ended 2-2 at the London Stadium while Brighton Hove Albion and Liverpool also ended by the same score line while Wolves and Aston Villa ended in a 1-1 draw on Super Sunday.
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