Arsenal's Defeat of Manchester City Demonstrates How Great Empires End

Posted on Feb 07, 2025 at 11:02 PM

Ethan Nwaneri scored Arsenal's fifth goal, evoking a euphoric atmosphere at the Emirates. He climbed into the bottom corner from an inside-right position, completing the game's perfect finish to secure a 5-1 victory over Manchester City, marking a significant victory in the Premier League.

Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, scored the third goal in a victory, but the replay indicated that Nwaneri's finish was not as excellent as expected, implying that the game was not as good as first imagined. This realisation was indicative of the entire game.

Arsenal's Historic Win Against Guardiola's Team

Arsenal were the first team to score five against a Pep Guardiola side and win by four or more goals. They deserve credit for their youthful intent, especially after 12 consecutive league defeats to City.

Even though Mikel Arteta defeated his mentor in a historic match, there was an odd sense that Arsenal didn't need to be that excellent to win.

City equalised at 1-1 in the second half, and Arsenal seemed to have allowed them back into the game. David Raya made two saves and Kai Havertz missed a chance, leading to concerns that Arsenal's diffidence might cost them, as they were playing less like the City of today than the image they had built up over six years of defeat.

Although they were rampaging and scored 105 seconds after the equaliser, City scored four goals in a row in the last 37 minutes of the game. However, mostly because of their soft centre, their xG for the game was only 1.06.

The Guardiola project is a topic of debate, with some hesitant to call it the end due to City's dominance and Guardiola's significant role in shaping the game's tactical direction over the past 15 years. Still, a defeat at Tottenham in the Carabao Cup and a month of nonsense may signal the end of the project.

Key Players and Tactical Missteps

Liverpool suffered a heavy loss in 2020, losing 7-2 to Aston Villa. Despite six consecutive home league defeats, the season was dreadful due to the COVID lockdown.

Nevertheless, Liverpool was able to place third. City has a poor record because of

Inter's 1966–67 collapse. They lost in a Coppa Italia semi-final and a European Cup final, and they gave up the league crown after winning only two of their last 11 games under Helenio Herrera.

Moreover, City's squad faced a crisis due to injury and fatigue, which had become stale. They had only lost one of their nine fixtures before the Emirates capitulation.

A sense of normality returned, with a wave of new signings and Erling Haaland's new contract suggesting a club preparing for a rebuild. The chaos of November and December was over, but the chaos of November and December could be seen as two bizarre, freakish months.

City's openness and lack of precision in the press have led to a lack of fear among opponents. They face Real Madrid, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Tottenham, who have already beaten them twice this season, which could lead to another month of misery for City.

In short, Guardiola, a 17-year-old manager at the top of the game, is questioned about his ability to rebuild after a season of losing his aura. His uniqueness may be questioned, as restoring City to dominance may be beyond his abilities, as few managers have lasted more than a decade.

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