LONDON — Arsenal have been the hunted, and caught, in the title race over the last two years but the roles are now reversed and they’re enjoying it.
Their 5-1 hammering of defending champs Manchester City on Sunday proved that, with hunger, passion and confidence flowing through Arsenal. Teenagers were scoring beauties and trolling City’s superstars. Gabriel was celebrating in Erling Haaland’s face. Declan Rice and Thomas Partey destroyed City’s midfield. There was a confidence, bordering on arrogance, about this Arsenal side.
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The cauldron of noise inside the Emirates grew louder each time they scored in the second half and everybody at Arsenal is feeling good about where they’re at, even if they’re still six points behind leaders Liverpool and that gap could grow to nine points by the next time they play in the league.
But Arsenal know, and painfully so, how a lead at the top can easily evaporate late in the season.
After 29 games in 2022-23 they had an eight-point lead at the top but Man City had a game in-hand. Last season they were top of the table heading into their final two games of the season, with City having a game in-hand. They finished second both times as City hunted them down. Now Arsenal are the hunters and they seem to be relishing this role. They bullied and then feasted on a wounded City at the Emirates on Sunday as their fans, like Roman Emperors, roared for more. So often they’ve been on the receiving end of games like this.
Feel-good factor building at Arsenal
Speaking to Pro Soccer Talk after the game, we asked Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli if the manner of the win against City made a statement in the title race.
“It was a great game for us. We are really happy with the performance as well,” Martinelli said. “We still have a long journey to go, many games to go, so we are going to try to do our best to win the league.” He added: “we did brilliant today, not just in the second half. I think we had an amazing first half as well. I think we deserved the win and we did really well today.”
The statement performance, and result, means Arsenal have now gone 14 games unbeaten in the Premier League, their longest unbeaten run in the league since Mikel Arteta took charge over five years ago. What does that mean?
“We are really happy,” Martinelli smiled. “We know our qualities, the team that we have. Even though we have some players injured, we know the quality we have in the team and we are trying our best for the club, for the players that are injured as well and for the fans.”
Aggression, hunger evident as pivotal stretch awaits
The difference this season seems to be the aggression and tenacity Arsenal have. When they sensed a moment to devour City in the second half they took it. That is how they’ve improved this season.
They’ve played better free-flowing football over the last few years but given their injuries, ill-timed (and sometimes unjust) red cards and lack of clinical finishing, it’s pretty remarkable Arsenal are still within touching distance of Liverpool with just over a third of the season to go. Arsenal also have only three games out of their final 14 where you would expect them to have some trouble winning. Liverpool have a much tougher schedule to come before they host Arsenal in early May.
Martinelli was asked about the tetchy nature of the win over Man City and he pointed to how hard Arsenal are having to work to win the physical battles in order to drag themselves to victory.
“That’s two teams that want to win the championship, so that’s a fight,” Martinelli explained. “We tried our best, they tried their best as well. We have to win duels to win these games and that’s why the game becomes hard work. We did well today, we are really happy with the result.”
It will still take a lot for Arsenal to overhaul Liverpool to win the title race but we haven’t really seen this team in this hunting role. They’re enjoying it. That’s a great sign for Arteta down the stretch.
