23/09/2025

TUESDAY | SEPT 23,2025

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Guardiola suffered over defensive plan and Arteta paid too much respect to City a suffered over e plan and Arteta much respect to City Emirates slugfest

Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli celebrates after scoring their first goal. – AFPPIC

Man City’s Erling Haaland (left) in action with Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes. – REUTERSPIC

P EP GUARDIOLA said he did not enjoy asking Manchester City to use the defensive tactics that backfired as Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time equaliser salvaged a 1-1 draw for Arsenal on Sunday. Guardiola opted for an unusually cautious game-plan in the second half at the Emirates Stadium in a LA A ng Manchester defensive tactics d as Gabriel time equaliser for Arsenal on r an unusually the second half m in a ing ute bid to cling on after Erling Haaland’s ninth-minute opener. But the City man ager’s decision to substi tute Norway striker Haaland and replace England forward n ti aland orward Phil Foden in a switch to a back five ultimately proved unsuccessful. Arsenal were able to monopolise the ball with City sitting so deep, and Martinelli broke the offside trap with a well-timed run onto Eberechi Eze’s pass before lofting a composed finish over Gianluigi Donnarumma. Tellingly, City had just 32.8% of pos session, which ranked as the lowest fig ure any Guardiola team have ever recorded in a Premier League match. “I can’t believe I have another record in this country,” he joked. “I give a lot of credit to Arsenal, especially when defending with five. We are not built for that but sometimes we have to accept it. “Arsenal were better so sometimes it can happen. One time in 10 years is not bad right? I have to prove myself again with the strategy. Now I am a transition team!” to a back unsuccessful. to monopolise ng so deep, and fside trap with a Eberechi Eze’s omposed finish umma. ust 32.8% of pos as the lowest fig eam have ever League match. have another he joked. “I give enal, especially five. We are not imes we have to so sometimes it n 10 years is not ove myself again am a transition

Resorting to tac tics more familiar to his old rival Jose Mourinho showed Guardiola’s des peration to cling onto

decision to again start with Declan Rice, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi in midfield raising eye brows. “For me we had a lot of attacking players in that team. Nobody asked me about the midfield three in Bilbao,” Arteta said in reference to the Gunners’ 2-0 Champions League win in the Basque Country in midweek. “It was the same midfield. I believe it was the best for the team. They were the best ones to start the game.” Elsewhere, Aston Villa remain win less this season after blowing a one goal and a man advantage in a 1-1 draw at Sunderland, while Newcastle were held 0-0 at Bournemouth on Sunday. Sunderland have made a great start to their quest to end the run of pro moted sides being relegated straight back to the Championship. The Black Cats sit seventh after losing only one of their opening five fixtures. decision to again start with De Rice, Mikel Merino and Ma Zubimendi in midfield raising “For me we had a lot of attac players in that team. Nobody asked about the midfield three in Bilb Arteta said in reference to the Gunn 2-0 Champions League win in “It was the same midfield. I belie was the best for the team. They wer Elsewhere, Aston Villa remain less this season after blowing a goal and a man advantage in a 1-1 d at Sunderland, while Newcastle w held 0-0 at Bournemouth on Sund Sunderland have made a great to their quest to end the run of moted sides being relegated stra back to the Championship. The B Cats sit seventh after losing one of their opening five fixtu

what would have been a priceless v i c t o r y after a

that way and we did.” Adamant that he would accept the criti cism of his conservative approach, Guardiola added: “I am open for that. I am sitting here for that. “Three days ago against the best team in Italy we played differently against Napoli. “I suffer. I don’t like it. But if the opponent is doing good things, we have to accept it and improve.” Despite the disap pointment of Martinelli’s equaliser, Guardiola took heart from a spir ited City display that was too often missing during their troubled run last season. “I said this sea son, I don’t care about the results. I

rocky start to

the

sea

son.

Instead, the Spaniard’s will ingness to ditch his purist principles was in vain and City are now languishing in ninth place – already eight points behind leaders Liverpool. Clearly a work in progress after Guardiola’s heavy spending on younger players in the last two transfer win dows, City’s inexperience has shown in a run of just two wins in their first five league matches. “Tough week, it was so demanding coming here, especially against one of the best teams in Europe. It was difficult to play the way we wanted to,” Guardiola said. “I would prefer to play another way but when we play so many games, you can defend deep and take a result. “Honestly, it is because the oppo nent was better. We have to survive in

did that this week,” he said.

Arsenal boss

Mikel

Arteta

refused drawn

to

be

into the debate on Guardiola’s tactics, surely out of

Newcastle are also struggling for goals in the absence of the departed Alexander Isak. Eddie Howe’s men have drawn all three of their away games this season 0-0 and will be happy just to come away from Newcastle are also strugg for goals in the absence o Eddie Howe’s men drawn all three of their a games this season 0-0 will be happy jus f

respect for the manager he regards as a friend after work ing under him as a City assistant. “Everybody tries to do his best to get a result. It’s fine,” he said. “I’m extremely proud of the players and very disappointed with the result. “After City scored the goal, after doing absolutely nothing before that, we started to dominate and the second half was a continuation of that.” Arteta, whose team are five points behind Liverpool in second place, was not immune from criticism, with his

Bournemouth with a point after a short turnaround from their 2-1 Bournemouth wi point after a s turnaround f

Champions League defeat to Barcelona on Friday. – AFP Champ i League defe Barcelona Friday. – AF

want to see the spirit back. We lost it last season and we have to recover it. We

Verstappen wins in Baku

- Story on page 29

- Story on page 31

JDT duo bag hattrick

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