The Week 30 Premier League match between defending champions Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday ended in a goalless draw. The match ended anticlimactically considering the amount of publicity leading up to the match.
The Citizens are three-time defending champions, experienced, and have the quality and depth of a squad. The Gunners are also the sharpest and have the best defence in the league.
Nevertheless, the match eventually ended in a goalless draw. As a result, Liverpool, who won 2-1 over Brighton & Hove Albion, top the standings with 67 points ahead of Arsenal (65 points) and Man City (64 points).
Man City, with Pep Guardiola’s 4-1-4-1 tactics, took over the game right from the start. Arsenal, in a 4-3-3 formation, were already in defence mode and looking to counter-attack when they won the ball from Man City.
The tactic was enough to frustrate Man City, especially since they had no dangerous chances against Arsenal’s goal guarded by David Raya. Instead, Arsenal threatened when Ben White’s cross was met by Gabriel Jesus and the opportunity went wide of Man City’s goal.
In the second half the game did not change: Man City dominated possession, Arsenal were eyeing a counterattack. Man City were dominant and tried to play more intensely, offensively.
Guardiola was cautious, however, bringing on Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku, in place of Phil Foden and Mateo Kovacic, when he had Julian Alvarez on the bench.
Mikel Arteta responded by playing Takehiro Tomiyasu, Thomas Partey, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli. Arsenal were dangerous on the counter-attack.
There was one moment when Arsenal had a chance from a counter-attack, Man City’s defence opened up in the last 10 minutes, but Trossard chose to kick the ball and was pushed away by Stefan Ortega.
Arsenal also did well to limit Man City’s main goal threat, Erling Haaland. In the end the goalless score held. Man City had 73 per cent possession with 12 shots (one on target), while Arsenal had six (two on target).
Lineups
Manchester City (4-1-4-1): Stefan Ortega; Josko Gvardiol, Nathan Ake (Rico Lewis 27′), Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji; Rodri; Phil Foden (Jeremy Doku 61′), Mateo Kovacic (Jack Grealish 61′), Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva; Erling Haaland
Substitutes: John Stones, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, Julian Alvarez, Sergio Gomez, Matheus Nunes, Scott Carson, Oscar Bobb, Rico Lewis
Coach: Pep Guardiola
Arsenal (4-3-3): David Raya; Jakub Kiwior (Takehiro Tomiyasu 66′), Gabriel, William Saliba, Ben White; Declan Rice, Jorginho (Thomas Partey 66′), Martin Odegaard; Gabriel Jesus (Leandro Trossard 72′), Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka (Gabriel Martinelli 78′)
Substitutes: Aaron Ramsdale, Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Leandro Trossard, Fabio Vieira, Oleksandr Zinchenko
Coach: Mikel Arteta