✍️ Kaustubh Thakur

🗓️ Apr 2, 2024

The Premier League, after a long time, is witnessing a three-horse race at such a late stage. Arsenal and Liverpool are both challenging to stop Manchester City from winning their fourth consecutive league title. City hosted Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday in what turned out to be a goalless snooze fest as both teams combined only managed 3 shots on target.

Arsenal’s rock-solid defense against the odds

Manchester City is a nightmare for any defense in the world, especially at their own turf. However, the Gunners did a fabulous job restricting Pep Guardiola’s men to just one shot on target. City did have 72% possession, but Mikel Arteta’s low block meant they couldn’t create significant opportunities. Erling Haaland had a forgettable day as he had only 23 touches and 0 shots on target. His performance once again drew criticism for his inability to affect the game apart from his goals.

Mikel Arteta’s ‘unnatural’ tactics and setup

Arsenal over the last couple of seasons have gained a reputation for playing free-flowing attacking football. On Sunday, however, Arteta’s team barely showed any attacking intent. This may have been done to neutralize City’s attacking prowess, and it worked as Arsenal had more shots on target (2). Given the Gunner’s abysmal record at the Etihad, it wasn’t the worst strategy, and it meant that Arsenal earned a point there for the first time since 2016.

Liverpool stays at the top with 9 games to go

Liverpool were the ultimate winners of the weekend as they extended their lead at the top. The Reds won their match against Brighton on Saturday as they continue to march towards the title in Jurgen Klopp’s final season. They still have nine games to play, including one away at Old Trafford against Manchester United and one at the Emirates against Tottenham Hotspur.

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