Arteta still seeking elusive win at the Etihad

Mikel Arteta is first to admit that his track record against Manchester City as Arsenal manager isn’t much to write home about. The Spaniard gained the first of three wins against his former employers in the FA Cup semi-final in July 2020. The next was also at Wembley - his side lifted the Community Shield after beating City on penalties. The first and only time that Arteta’s Gunners have beaten City in the Premier League came a few weeks later, and once again in London. A late strike from Gabriel Martinelli was enough for Arsenal to take all three points at the Emirates back in October but Arteta has never won as the visiting coach at his old home, the Etihad.

He will have the chance to put that right on Sunday when the Premier League leaders travel north to scrap it out with a City side dogged by injury worries (Kyle Walker with a hamstring injury and John Stones are ruled out) and at the same time, make a claim for the title. Arsenal top the table on 64 points, level with Liverpool, and just one point ahead of City.

Top scorers, best defence

Averaging an impressive 2.5 goals per game, Arteta’s team are by far the most prolific scorers in the Premier League ahead of Liverpool, City and Newcastle. They also boast the best defensive figures - just 24 goals conceded and 11 clean sheets (compared to Liverpool: 26 goals conceded, nine clean sheets and City: 28 goals conceded, eight clean sheets).

But a win at the Etihad, the stadium which was his home for three and a half years, is still top of the agenda and Arteta feels his team is getting closer. “We had some clashes as well in the FA Cup and the Community Shield. And it’s all great experiences,” the Basque coach told reporters in his pre-match press conference. “They have raised the bar in this league, and I think in football in general too, to a level that hasn’t been seen before. That’s the beauty of sport, it makes you better and challenges you more. You have to keep up with that pace, and that’s what we are trying to do”.

Since he took the Arsenal job in December 2019, this fixture has always had the added intrigue of Arteta facing his former boss Pep Guardiola. He explained how his relationship with the City manager has changed since he moved back down to north London. “It had to change, but my admiration and what I feel for him, certainly not,” Arteta explained. “In my opinion, he is the best coach in the world by a mile and is one of the nicest people that I have met in football, certainly one of the ones that I have had more fun and a laugh working with, and that’s going to stay there forever. Obviously our roles at the moment are what they are and you have to adapt to the situation. It is what it is, but that happens the same in relationships with players. I had some teammates here and then you become the coach and that relationship has to adapt. You cannot feel differently about the person but professionally you have to act differently”.

Arteta has three players doubtful for the City match: Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Magalhaes all missed their respective national team call-ups through injury but are back in full training and the coach says he will see how they get on in Saturday’s session before making a firm decision.

The Gunners took the summit after embarking on an eight-game winning streak, taking advantage of the points dropped by both Liverpool and City. That run was curtailed by the international break, which Arteta views philosophically (“There was nothing we could do about it”). Nevertheless his players are upbeat and ready for the run-in to the title.

“Everybody’s back, everybody’s positive about what is coming and looking forward to it,” he concludes. “I was just watching everybody walk into the building and I love the energy. I love the smiles, they were glad to be back, and they actually wanted to train yesterday. The way they communicate and relay with each other is phenomenal. We have to embrace the moment, we need to go day-by-day, train really well and prepare for every match and see where this can take us. We’ve done a lot already to be in the position that we are in and now we have to embrace and enjoy the moment and go for it”.