I’m counting down to Sunday’s huge game between Manchester City and Arsenal — two teams with few obvious weaknesses and two managers who know how to get the best from their players.
Mikel Arteta will be upbeat this week. He doesn’t yet have Pep Guardiola’s decades of experience or trophy collection, but he must remind his squad why they’ve been top of the league for so long. He’ll be positive in training, back his players individually and repeat the message: you’re here because you’ve earned it. That conviction helps when belief is tested.
Pep, by contrast, looks refreshed. He seemed a little worn at the end of last season and early this one, which is understandable, but City have regained the cutting edge since January. They don’t need extra motivation — plenty of pundits had written them off and the players will want to prove those doubters wrong. Being champions brings its own burden, and right now that weight feels heavier on Arsenal. City would love to take back the initiative.
What’s returned to City recently isn’t a change of philosophy — they’ll still dominate possession — but the genuine one-on-one threat from wide, explosive attackers. I call those players ‘leg-beaters
