Arsenal saw their winning run ended at Sunderland, who found a stoppage time equaliser on Saturday, which has seen Manchester City close in on Mikel Arteta's outfit
Mikel Arteta saw Arsenal drop points late on at Sunderland
Mikel Arteta saw Arsenal drop points late on at Sunderland(Image: (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images))
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For the first time in a number of weeks, Mikel Arteta will review a match that Arsenal have failed to win. A late equaliser for Sunderland on Saturday night bought a run of nine straight wins to an abrupt end.
The Gunners had been lapping up the plaudits recently, but their slip and Manchester City's statement performance less than 24 hours later means that Pep Guardiola's side are looking up - and with plenty of momentum building.
Liverpool's downfall means the Premier League title race is already looking like a two-horse race despite the season only being 11 games old. Arsenal's heavy investment in the summer has given them a wealth of talent, the likes of which they haven't had for two decades.
What they will have learned this weekend though is that, despite talk of transition this summer, City are not a year away from being contenders. They have what it takes to regain the title they lost last season - and the hunger looks to be back.
Arsenal, for the first time in the Arteta-era, were the hunters last term, but couldn't chase down Liverpool. For the two years previous to that they have been the hunted and, unfortunately for them, City have succeeded on both occasions.
We're not even halfway into November but already there's a whiff of another Guardiola onslaught as he looks to bring down his apprentice once more. Never though have Arsenal been this well equipped to end a top flight drought that dates back to the iconic 2004 side.
No one is panicking less than a third of the way into the season, but Arteta will know he's just dropped two points. The international break gives everyone a chance to take stock and whilst City go into it with a spring in their step, Arsenal will have learned a hard lesson.
Arsenal have never been better equipped to win the title
Arsenal have never been better equipped to win the title(Image: 2025 The Arsenal Football Club Plc via Getty Images)
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Despite a stunning revival during his tenure, Arteta is a man under pressure to deliver a trophy this season. He wouldn't be the first manager to endure a near miss or two before getting over the line and the Arsenal boss can show that he's learned the lesson of past years with how he acts and approaches this season.
Take on City when the chance comes
Might sound simple, but beating your direct rivals is the best way to deny them points. Waiting for favours is a risky strategy and City have shown they don't give a lot of gifts, especially come the business end of the season. Arsenal's only loss this year came at Liverpool.
They battled to gain a point against Guardiola's side back in September. On both occasions they were seen as the better team who failed to press home their advantage. City vs Arsenal at the Etihad on April 18 is likely a date circled in Arteta's calendar.
When they head north their onus should not be on just denying City three points, but on beating them. In 2023/24 they drew in Manchester and some saw that as a good result. They would be edged out in the title race and Rodri commented on how the north Londoners played to draw - something they would never do.
Man City look set to be Arsenal's rival for the title - with the two teams facing off in a potentially defining clash in April
Man City look set to be Arsenal's rival for the title - with the two teams facing off in a potentially defining clash in April
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“When they came here, they faced us at the Etihad, I saw them and said ‘Ah, these guys, they don't want to beat us, they just want a draw’," he said. “And that mentality, I don't think we would do it the same way."
This crop of Arsenal players are yet to win on the blue half of Manchester. The club haven't won at the Etihad since January 2015. It would be a huge shift if they were to end that run this season.
Use all your resources
As the years have gone on Arsenal's depth has certainly increased, owing to some shrewd recruitment. Since they established themselves as title contenders they've added the likes Declan Rice, David Raya, Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi.
It means there's unlikely to be any repeat of 2022/23, where Arteta had to constantly rely on the same starting XI. That year the injury to William Saliba proved costly but Arsenal now have enough depth to deal with absences in almost any area of the pitch.
They also have the resources to recycle their starting line-up and make changes in game without weakening the squad, which was an issue last year when they could realistically only haul off a player and bring on someone of lesser quality.
Adopt a killer attitude
If last season proved anything it was that draws on the road are something you can ill-afford, especially against teams you absolutely should be beating. City in the past have put together huge winning runs which have involved them going away and winning tough games on the road.
Arsenal have learned that they need to be near perfect to keep Man City at bay
Arsenal have learned that they need to be near perfect to keep Man City at bay
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Last term, when Arsenal were trying to put the pressure on Liverpool, they were dropping points at the likes of Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Everton.
The Gunners could conceivably not lose another game - and still lose out on the title. The Reds in 2018/19 showed that draws can be as damaging as losses. They were only beaten once but drew four times in six games to ultimately open the door for a relentless City team, who lost four games, but ended up as champions.
The draw at Sunderland shouldn't be something they dwell on, but if it starts happening regularly then it could prove their undoing.
Go hard at the Carabao Cup
It might be regarded as the least desirable trophy available, but City proved in their early years under Guardiola that it really can act as a springboard. During the Catalans first three titles triumphs (2018, 2019 and 2021) he claimed the Carabao Cup in the spring before going on to claim the title.
The first trophy Pep Guardiola landed in England was the Carabao Cup
The first trophy Pep Guardiola landed in England was the Carabao Cup
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Beyond anything else, winning is a habit. Gathering silverware is a habit. And for a team yet to taste that type of success landing victory at Wembley, where they will likely have to down a major rival, breeds a winning environment within the squad.
It would put to bed the "you've not won a trophy" narrative for Arteta. If anyone shrugged their shoulders at Guardiola winning the Carabao Cup in 2018, they aren't shrugging at the success he's had off the back of it.
Arsenal have seen off Port Vale and Brighton thus far with a quarter-final to come against Crystal Palace in late December. Newcastle, Chelsea and City are all still in the hunt so the Gunners have the opportunity to land some notable scalps whilst also underlining their ambitions.
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