City’s murder charge to shoot down Gunners

Not since the first game of the season have Manchester City been in charge of their Premier League title aspirations.

A 4-0 thrashing of a decidedly toothless Wolves had City top of the table, but that soon changed with back-to-back defeats to Spurs and Brighton.

Nunes and Cherki were on top of the Premier League back in August.

Fast forward six months, and the previously edentulous wolf pack sunk some newly found ‘gnashers’ into the tender rump of Arsenal’s rear end, adding extra bite to a topsy turvy title race.

Wolves dumped Arteta's time wasters on their Arse!

The Wolves equaliser - at precisely 93 minutes and 20 seconds to snatch a 2-2 draw against Mikel Arteta’s perennial bottlers – is viewed as an omen by those who believe unicorns are real, and there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

But who knows, perhaps the stars are aligning for City to win a seventh Premier League under Pep Guardiola’s guidance.

93:20 is a magical time in City's history.

Maybe it is more than a coincidence and 93:20 – the time Sergio Aguero’s stunning strike made City the Champions of England, on that unforgettable day in May 2012 – will once again be significant in another City title success..

Of course, the jibes, jokes and memes questioning Arsenal’s mentality have been in overdrive, but they’ll count for nothing if City don’t scan the Newcastle barcodes on Saturday night.

It wouldn’t be the first time City have fluffed their lines when seeking to capitalize on an Arsenal stutter.

City squandered a two goal advantage away at Spurs.

It’s less than three weeks since a two-goal advantage was inexplicably wasted, allowing Spurs to scratch an unlikely 2-2 draw.

Another Spurs score draw wouldn’t go amiss against the misfiring Gunners on Sunday, but it’ll be of no consequence if City can keep on winning.

Tijani Reijnders's goal helped steer City past Newcastle in the Carabao Cup semi final.

It’s a big ‘if’ in a campaign riddled by inconsistency, one in which City have been performing football’s equivalent of the Hokey Cokey – one minute they’re in the title race and the next they’re out.

A gutless 2-0 loss at Old Trafford followed by a witless 3-1 Champions League defeat at Bodo/Glimt, suggested City – if not in freefall – were certainly spiralling.

Ironically, it was a 2-0 win over Wolves which put City back on track, followed by another five wins and the draw at Spurs, after catching a chill in Norway.

Abject in Norway but City's 'northern lights' have shone since defeat in the Arctic Circle.

It’s worth noting that United, under Michael Carrick, subsequently went to the Emirates and beat Arsenal, whereas Bodo have just trounced Inter Milan 3-1 in a Champions League play-off. A little perspective goes a long way!

Victories over Galatasaray, Newcastle, Liverpool, Fulham and Salford mean City are still fighting on all four fronts; Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup; but it’s the historic win at Anfield – traditionally a graveyard for Guardiola and his predecessors – which has fired up City’s season.

Antoine Semenyo has added goals to City's attack.

It’s impossible to over emphasize the galvanizing effect the 2-1 victory – and the way it was achieved – could have on the remainder of City’s season.

Erling celebrates the winner at Anfield.

To be a goal down with 83 minutes on the clock – with Craig Pawson, a referee who’s given City ‘Sweet FA’ over the years – and snatch victory amidst the bedlam of one of the most controversial endings of any game, was utterly joyous.

City could well point to their own pivotal moment of the season - Gianluigi Donnarumma’s mesmerizing, one-handed save from Alexis Mac Allister - as the Scousers pushed for an equaliser deep into added time.

Donnarumma's wonder save could be a pivotal point in the season.

Pep Guardiola’s hilarious imitation of the save illustrated the feelgood factor that coursed through the veins of every City player and supporter.

It was City’s first league ‘double’ over Liverpool since 1937 – an incredible statistic considering the dominance they've established during the Pep era.

Bernardo and Rodri spelt double trouble for Liverpool.

A fortnight on from Anfield and the chatter of, ‘…if Arsenal win their next game, they’ll be nine points clear at the top…’ has disappeared.

The mood music is changing with the prospect of City being just two points behind, if they can beat Newcastle for a third time this season.

City are well and truly in the title race.

Even the most passionate of City fans must be wondering how the hell their team is still in the title race.

Transition is a word bandied around football, be it during a passage of play, or in the context of rebuilding a team.

Trophyless last season, can City lift silverware in 2026?

City are most definitely a team in transition, but surprisingly, still in contention for the big trophies.

Only a trio of starters from the team crowned Champions of Europe in 2023 are likely to remain after next summer, namely Ruben Dias, Rodri and Erling Haaland.

Haaland and Foden are two of the handful of Champions League winners still at City.

Phil Foden who came on as a sub for the injured Kevin De Bruyne will be staying, but the rest have gone or will soon be on their way.

Ederson, Akanji, KDB and Gundogan have departed, Grealish won’t be returning from being on loan, John Stones’ contract won’t be renewed, and injury prone Nathan Ake will give way to a younger defensive unit.

Pep has waved goodbye to most of his Champions League winning team.

Kyle Walker, Stefan Ortega, Aymeric Laporte, Julian Alvarez, Sergio Gomez, Riyad Mahrez, Cole Palmer, Maximo Perrone and Scott Carson are no longer at the Etihad, leaving just Rico Lewis and Kalvin Phillips still on City’s books. The two England internationals could and should, be surplus to requirements by the summer transfer window.

KDB had an emotional farewell after a decade at the Etihad.

The one player City fans will be desperate to retain is Bernardo Silva – the captain whose nine year career at the Etihad is seemingly ending.

City must do all they can to keep Captain Bernardo.

Unlike Sergio Aguero, De Bruyne and, most likely Stones, who left or will leave on a free transfer due to being injury plagued, Bernardo is still his indefatigable self as he approaches 32-years old.

He may not be the dynamic force he was in the Centurions, Fourmidables and Treble winning seasons, but his experience, guile, stamina and feisty nature make him an invaluable component in Guardiola’s evolving team.

Semenyo has settled in nicely at the Etihad.

If he can be persuaded to stay until 2027 he’ll guarantee his statue outside of the Etihad - preferably one holding a cup of tea - an act which prevented him from applauding Liverpool’s players in a ‘Guard of Honour’ in 2020.

No time to celebrate the equaliser - Bernardo wanted the win at Anfield.

Brewnardo – what a player, what a guy, what an absolute diamond – no wonder Liverpool fans hate him, even more so after he scored the 83^rd minute equalizer just 13 days ago.

City fans will probably never again have it as good as the 2022/2023 Treble winners, but a stealthy rebuild of an entire squad – packed with youth and energy – provides hope for the future.

Khusanov and Donnarumma are the new generation in City's Defence Department.

Goalkeepers Donnarumma (26) and Trafford (23), and a defensive corps of Khusanov (21), Reis (20), Guehi (25) Gvardiol (24) Ait-Nouri (24) Alleyne (20) and Mfuni (18) have an average age of 22.

At just 21, Khusanov has the skills and 'bottle' to go right to the very top.

Move into midfield and you’ll find the likes of O’Reilly (20) Echeverri (20) Gonzalez (24) Nypan (19) Cherki (22) Savinho (21) Doku (23) Mukasa (18) McAidoo (17) Lewis (21) – all under 25 – with an average age of 20.5.

Nico O'Reilly is having an outstanding season.

Even the more experienced players; Dias (29) Rodri (29) Foden (25) Haaland (25) Semenyo (26) Reijnders (27) Marmoush (27) Kovacic (31) Bernardo (31) Nunes (27) average out at 27.7 – not exactly Dad’s Army material.

Marc Guehi is proving to be an inspirational signing.

The age demographic is bang on the money and a couple of big money summer signings, such as Elliot Anderson (23) and Tino Livramento (23), will add further quality and dynamism. So much for the future.

Back to the present and despite the new wave of optimism in the City ranks, it’s Arsenal who have the points in the bag. City can’t keep squandering chances to close the gap, but history is with Guardiola’s team.

City have to capitalise on Arsenal's mistakes.

City have amassed 120 points from the final 12 fixtures in the last four seasons, compared with Arsenal’s haul of 91. Anything even approaching that ratio would see City as champions again.

Much has been made of City having the experience and know-how of getting the job done, but at least half of the squad have yet to win the Premier League.

Guehi's a goal scorer as well an ace goal stopper.

The Carabao Cup Final on March 22^nd will provide an insight into the mentality of both teams – who can strike a psychological blow – before fronting up a month later at the Etihad in the proverbial ‘six pointer’.

Pep wants to add a fifth Carabao Cup lift to his extensive list of trophy wins.

But first things first, City need to murder some Magpies, carry on killing off opponents and keep the Gunners firmly in their crosshairs.

by David Walker

www.readbutneverred.com

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