After 8 consecutive defeats, Mikel Arteta finally defeated Pep Guardiola. A victory with an element of luck but a psychological turning point for both Arteta and Arsenal. Pep’s giant shadow is no longer an obsession with Arteta.
In fact, this is the second time that Arteta has beaten Pep on the bench to direct Arsenal . For the first time, it was a 2-0 victory in the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium on July 19, 2020, the time when world football started again after the raging Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, Arteta’s Gunners have lost eight straight games to Pep’s The Citizens in all competitions (6 in the Premier League, 1 in the League Cup and 1 in the FA Cup).
Particularly in 2023, this is the 4th time the two teams have clashed in an official match. Three times ago, of course, Arsenal lost, whether playing at the Emirates or having to be a guest at the Etihad Stadium. However, at Wembley last night, Arteta’s The Gunners were more resilient, despite being led first.
The 41-year-old Spaniard was also under great psychological pressure, inhibited when referee Stuart Attwell several times ignored the fouls of Man City players. One of those times he was given a yellow card for warning. However, in the end, Arteta still “backwards” along the pitch to remind the students to play more closely, not to lose more and try to take advantage of opportunities to get the equalizer.
The fateful penalty shootout win in the Community Shield last night did not signal any subversion (last season Man City also lost this match before the treble) but was an important psychological turning point for Arteta and Arsenal. so that they can confidently start the hunting season for Man City.
This is the second time Arteta has won against Pep on the bench at Arsenal and the first time after eight consecutive defeats. If there is a first time, there must be a second, a third and a fourth… Arteta was Pep’s assistant at Man City from 2016-2019 before taking over at the North London team and leading the Gunners to victory. won the FA Cup in the first season. On that journey, the Arsenal of an Arteta who had just got wet, defeated Man City 2-0 in the semi-finals.
Last season, Arsenal “died” many times in injury time, but in the confrontation with Man City last night, thanks to injury time, they opened the final victory. Being led and time did not favor but in the end “Arteta’s children have grown up”, brave enough, persistent to equalize and win in the penalty shootout full of luck. While Pep’s students missed two kicks, Arteta’s young players shot four on all four.
The image of Bukayo Saka is an example of Arsenal’s maturity. Having missed a penalty at EURO 2020 at Wembley itself, the 21-year-old now confidently defeats goalkeeper Ortega, contributing to Arsenal’s victory.
Obviously, the psychological obstacles before Man City have been removed by Arteta’s teachers and students. Of course, this is a match that is said to be “a little more than a friendly match”, which does not mean much from a technical point of view. However, it plays a very important psychological turning point for Arteta and his students to confidently enter a new season with the ambition to overthrow the dominance of The Citizens.
During the whole match at Wembley, Arsenal had moments of stalemate and psychological barriers similar to previous defeats to Man City. However, Arteta’s Arsenal are progressing significantly further in their pre-season preparations, starting from the psychological side – a weakness inherent throughout the years of the London Gunners.
