Arsenal began what could be a vital week of their season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, thanks to Gabriel’s 64th-minute winner. With a Champions League tie away to Atalanta followed by the daunting trip to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, it was crucial that the Gunners left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with all three points.
Despite taking four points from Manchester City last season, Mikel Arteta’s side fell an agonising two points behind Pep Guadiola’s Premier League Title-winning Machine.
However, if the North Londoners can win Sunday’s clash at the Etihad, this could be the catalyst for ending their 21-year wait for the Title.
With Declan Rice and Martin Martin Ødegaard absent from the team with suspension and injury, this would always be a stern test for Arsenal’s midfield.
However, their maturity in stifling Tottenham’s attacks was sensational, albeit Spurs were poor in the final third.
The Gunners boss expressed his happiness with his side’s ability to withstand the pressure of big games and win ugly.
‘The people that we have, I think I already spoke about it during the week, people that are harder, they have thick skin, they love the game and they love winning. In order to love the game and win, you have to do a lot of things – sometimes people call them ugly. Enjoying doing those ugly things is a big compliment of this team right now, and when you’re able to normally, you get a good gift.’
Arteta: Arsenal.com
Last season, the Gunners conceded the fewest goals (29) in all 38 games due to their defensive duo of William Saliba and Gabriel.
Embed from Getty ImagesDavid Raya kept 16 clean sheets from 32 games, a result of the solid partnership between the French-Brazilian duo.
Embed from Getty ImagesJurrien Timber looked pretty solid at left-back, although you could argue that he was walking a tightrope for a red card after his confrontation with Guglielmo Vicario.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt will be a fascinating battle with Jeremy Doku or Jack Grealish to see who comes out on Sunday.
But before we can even think about those games, both sides open their Champions League Campaign this week.
As City faces Inter Milan on Wednesday while Arsenal is away to Atalanta on Thursday, you would think that Guardiola’s side has the edge in terms of the extra day.
Even though they face a trial for their 115 charges this week, if they are found guilty, the punishment could be a points deduction.
And given that Guardiola’s side is capable of going on a 10-15 match winning streak, Arsenal can ill-afford to make too many mistakes.
This week is vital for both teams, particularly their aspirations for the title.
Can Arsenal take the first big step towards their Premier League title dreams?
