Man City proved Mikel Arteta right vs Newcastle and it could win them the title
If this is indeed Pep Guardiola’s last stand at Manchester City, he’s going down with a fight. And he’s not taking any prisoners.
In a week where ‘dark arts’ was the buzzword, most of it was aimed away from City rather than towards them – until Mikel Arteta fanned the flames by suggesting he ‘knows’ everything about City and what they do in that category. Guardiola reacted angrily to Arteta’s insinuation, urging his friend to be clearer about what he means.
After days of City and Arsenal figures going back and forth following last Sunday’s battle, the Saturday lunchtime trip to Newcastle could have been a chance to move forward and get on with the title challenge without Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne. An opportunity to show just how good his system is and smash the stereotype that City’s success is built on one or two specific players.
Any hopes of a calmer afternoon were dashed, however, with the Blues showing they are not the only side who can use those ‘dark arts’ to their advantage.
Asked before kick-off whether the week’s drama showed that it was ‘City vs the rest of the Premier League’, Guardiola agreed. “We have done it for seven years. Otherwise we wouldn’t have what we achieve. Absolutely not,” he said. Without his two most influential midfielders, Guardiola is deploying the ‘us against the world’ narrative to get his squad through a difficult period.
Yet his team sheet hinted heavily at control rather than chaos. Out went the two direct wingers, in came Grealish and Bernardo. Ilkay Gundogan was in midfield and Manu Akanji pushed up. Rico Lewis was a proper midfielder rather than an inverted one – it was more like the City we are used to where control is prioritised.
But there were still moments where City showed they had picked up a thing or two from Arsenal – or things they already knew, hey Mikel? Gundogan took plenty of time over his set pieces, while Kyle Walker had turned the teams around before kick off after winning the toss. Presumably it was Walker who made that decision, given Newcastle love to attack the Gallowgate End in the second half, and City’s fans were high in the Leazes Stand so there was little advantage in attacking them before or after the break.
Jack Grealish and Fabian Schar relished their battle – Schar going in the book for a revenge scythe on City’s number 10 after an elbow just moments earlier. When Grealish wasn’t going in on Schar, he was giving Sandro Tonali a hidden elbow and continuing that personal contest off the ball throughout the second half.
Ruben Dias raced halfway across the pitch to try and influence the referee on a number of occasions, while blue shirts surrounded referee Jarred Gillett when Newcastle were awarded a penalty. As the clock ticked past 90 minutes, Dias hacked Gordon down as he looked to break and accepted the yellow card with pride. No prisoners.
Even with the scores level, and Guardiola going back to chaos with Doku and Savinho on, Ederson was taking his time with goal kicks to the frustration of the home fans. Another buzzword of recent matches – pragmatism – was on show at both ends.
City didn’t get the result they wanted yet Guardiola will be delighted with the fight. If he can foster the siege mentality going forward, and turn City’s brilliant footballers into scrappers and battlers at the same time, it could be his most impressive feat yet.
They have always had those qualities. This season might be the year they have to bring it all together and fight for the title in the true sense of the word.
