Views: 0
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 31: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal battles for possession with Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on March 31, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 31: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, interacts with Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, prior to the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on March 31, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 31: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal battles for possession with Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on March 31, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Arsenal nullified reigning champions Manchester City’s attack for a 0-0 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday (Mar 31), allowing Liverpool to take top spot on a pivotal day in the Premier League’s three-way title race.
- MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 31: Erling Haaland of Manchester City is challenged by William Saliba of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on March 31, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, in the hunt for their first league title in 20 years, are second in the table on 65 points with nine games remaining, while City are third with 64. Liverpool, on 67 points, claimed the lead with their 2-1 comeback victory over Brighton & Hove Albion earlier on Sunday.
The match failed to live up to its billing as a battle of titans. City dominated possession with 72.2 per cent and came at Arsenal in waves.
Soccer Football – Premier League – Manchester City v Arsenal – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain – March 31, 2024 Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard in action with Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva REUTERS/Carl Recine NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR ‘LIVE’ SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 45 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS.
But the visitors frustrated Pep Guardiola’s men – including league-leading scorer Erling Haaland – with a textbook defensive display to extend their unbeaten league run to nine games and end their streak of eight losses at the Etihad.
- MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 31: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, reacts during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on March 31, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Usually prolific Man City were restricted to just one shot on goal and it was the first time in 58 games that they have not scored at home.
- Soccer Football – Premier League – Manchester City v Arsenal – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain – March 31, 2024 Arsenal’s David Raya in action REUTERS/Carl Recine NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR ‘LIVE’ SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 45 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS.
“We want all the three points obviously, and we tried our best to get the win but we’ll take the point and move on,” Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard said.
“We had to defend a lot, a bit more deep than we would have liked. It was a tight game and a tough one. So much can happen before the end of the season, we have to take it game-by-game.”
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 31: Erling Haaland of Manchester City holds off Declan Rice of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on March 31, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
: Man City’s Pep Guardiola looks ahead to Arsenal clash (Metro)
Metro
Gabriel Jesus had Arsenal’s best chances, firing two shots just wide in the first half and then narrowly failing to meet an inviting cross from Bukayo Saka.
City’s best opportunity was Kevin De Bruyne’s early corner kick that glanced off the shoulder of Nathan Ake but fell to keeper David Raya.
Soccer Football – Premier League – Manchester City v Arsenal – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain – March 31, 2024 Manchester City’s Nathan Ake shakes hands with manager Pep Guardiola as he walks off the pitch after sustaining an injury Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR ‘LIVE’ SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 45 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS.
City parked themselves in Arsenal’s half over a final tense few minutes but the visitors held strong.
The normally reliable Haaland failed to make contact with the ball when he seemed to have a simple finish from Josko Gvardiol’s header late in the game, holding his head in his hands in frustration while the City fans groaned.
Also read |Â La Liga: Barcelona maintain unbeaten run with home win over 10-man Las Palmas
While Arsenal lacked the firepower of recent weeks – they had scored an astounding 33 goals in eight successive league victories – shutting down City was mission accomplished for the Gunners, who were clobbered 4-1 at the Etihad last season before City ran away with the title.
“We can’t be satisfied when we draw,” said Arsenal defender William Saliba. “We leave with one point, but we are not satisfied. We know they are the best team in the world, so we have to be focused.
“We didn’t score but we didn’t concede, so we are happy. We defended well. We have to keep going like that.”
The game marked the final clash between two of the top three teams this season.
Source:wion