Mikel Arteta said Arsenal needed to be more “ruthless” and lamented that “luck” was not on their side as Manchester City took control of the Premier League title race with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Gunners in a frantic clash at the Etihad.
City still trail their title rivals by three points but if they win their game in hand over doomed Burnley in midweek, they will leapfrog the Gunners at the top with just five games remaining.
Perhaps predictably, Erling Haaland was the hero as he expertly swept home with 25 minutes remaining and Pep Guardiola‘s side clung on despite Arsenal hitting the woodwork on multiple occasions in the second half, through Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes, and Kai Havertz rippling the roof of the net deep in injury time.
Although Gabriel was “lucky” to avoid a red card for pushing his head towards Haaland’s, Arteta reflected that the title race showdown could have gone either way. “I don’t think there was any difference between the two teams,” he said. “There is an element of luck, whether the ball goes in or not. We were close, not close enough.”
Relive all the action from Man City v Arsenal, below
More from Arteta
On the Arsenal approach, Arteta adds: “With the ball we had the same [intent] and we generated the situations that we believed we could generate.
“There is even one where Kai [Havertz] is totally free on the halfway to go one-on-one. We are in the level that we are in because this team has taken us there. That’s the level you need to be to win it.
“Today there are certainly elements, in front of goal which is the most important one, and big chances – you have to put them away to come away from the Etihad with three points.”
On the quality of the match, he adds: “Yes, there was moments but it was a battle as well, and intensity, because you expect that.
“There were big parts of the game that had similarities with the first 28 minutes of the cup final because we had two massive chances to go ahead – and we didn’t. That changes the course of the game.
“We take it game by game, we had some very good moments a few days ago in the Champions League against Sporting.
“We are playing so many games, we are the only team that is playing and playing and playing, that’s a difference as well.
“But the positive is that today we have seen the level and there are five games to go. We are going to give it a real go.
“We have full belief that we can do it. Today we showed again the team that we are. It’s in our hands and it’s there for the taking,” he added.
Rodri injury hands Man City huge concern ahead of Premier League run-in
Rodri has given Manchester City an injury worry for the title race after limping off in their 2-1 win over Arsenal.
The Ballon d’Or winner has a groin problem, which will be examined on Sunday or Monday, as Pep Guardiola waits to discover the extent of the damage.
Rodri, who was replaced by Nico Gonzalez when he went off in the 88th minute, has found his best form of the season in recent weeks as City have recorded four straight wins in all competitions.
Arteta: ‘There is an element of luck’
Here’s what Mikel Arteta has to say to Sky Sports:
“That’s exactly that and when you don’t do it and they have individual quality to deliver in those moments, you risk losing the game because I don’t think there was any difference between the teams.”
“There are a few elements. There is an element of luck with whether the ball goes in or not. The second one the ball deflects, it goes to Haaland.
“There is individual quality as well and there is, in that moment, to be so cool, precise and ruthless. You have to be that.”
On Arsenal’s performance, he explains: “You could see at the end of the game, and right from the beginning, the attitude of the team. We could have been a bit more composed in certain moments but we certainly took the game to where we wanted and we had big chances to win.
“We went very close but not close enough and now we have to accept we lost an opportunity today, a big one, but there are still five games to go. We need to reset and go again because there are a lot of positives to take from the game.”
Premier League title race: Do Arsenal or Man City have the easier run-in?
The Gunners travelled to the Etihad on Sunday with a six-point lead at the top of the table but that has now been cut to just three points, and with City holding a game in hand Mikel Arteta’s side could see their lead wiped out by Wednesday.
Arsenal are bidding to finally end their 22-year wait for a league title but they could well face a shootout for this season’s trophy, with goal difference potentially deciding the destination of the title.
Why was Gabriel not sent off for Erling Haaland ‘headbutt’?
Haaland and Gabriel were involved in a long-running battle at the Etihad but tensions spilled over in the 83rd minute. It was sparked when Haaland gave Gabriel a push from the side after he had been fouled from behind by the Arsenal defender.
Gabriel reacted by putting his head towards Haaland’s and they stood for a moment with their foreheads touching. But Gabriel then made a another movement and pushed his head towards Haaland’s for a second time.
How Erling Haaland inspired Man City to a massive momentum shift over Arsenal
The league table never lies, apparently. It may do now. A supposed title decider ended with the side still in second nevertheless possessing the advantage. It has been Arsenal’s title to lose for months, but perhaps this defeat means it is being lost.
“Maybe they played more direct than at Wembley,” says Guardiola on the differences in Arsenal from the cup final.
“Gyokeres is also strong and, especially the second balls, they are so good,” he adds on whether Havertz is better at holding up the ball.
“It’s good delivery from Raya. But we know the speed that they have and the set pieces. When we concede a lot of corners, free-kicks and they are top.
“They had four or five strikers and Gabriel at the end, and good delivery as well.
“Sometimes it is difficult to control because we are tired. At the end I’m happy because we can extend the hope and, maybe until the end, we will try,” he added.
Guardiola: ‘It was a good advert for the Premier League’
“It was a good advert for the Premier League,” says Pep Guardiola on Sky.
“They don’t allow you to go through the process, they’re so aggressive. They are good in the duels and one of the most competitive teams I ever faced in my career in terms of duels and one against one, long balls with Havertz and Rice, second balls – fantastic.
“We had momentum, they had momentum, we had chances, they had chances. At the end in these type of games, it is little margins,” he explained.
On the quality of the game, he added: “Absolutely, both teams are good – really top managers! And really top players for both sides.
“I’ve been so demanding but the reality is, it’s just one game. They are top of the league with one goal difference [better than City].
“We have to enjoy it, celebrate it, take the good things but don’t lose the focus. The focus is in three days, we go to Burnley.”
Here’s Mikel Arteta speaking to Match of the Day:
“At the end it’s the result we came to conquer. We did a lot of things right to take the game where we wanted. We had the best chances in the game but we didn’t put them away and that’s the reality,” he explains.
On whether the belief is still there, he says: “100%. I said to the boys we have to look in the mirror and the team we played in the moment, the history they have, to come back from a goal down. There’s a lot of things to take. The difference was in both boxes that’s for sure.”
“Every game is a different approach. Need to evaluate the state of the team. We are missing some big big players. We need them back as soon as possible because we need to be stronger and better.
“The Premier League starts again almost. They have a game in hand, we are three points ahead, five games to play so game on,” he added as he finished.
Keane on Gabriel & Haaland
“I enjoyed that battle [between Haaland and Gabriel]. The ref let them get on with it. It’s part of the game, the physicality,” says Roy Keane on Sky.
“City do seem to peak at the right time. What I like about this City group and Pep is the hunger, they want to win,” he added.
