MARTIN KEOWN TALKS TACTICS: Arsenal must do what they have never done under Mikel Arteta against Man City, expect Kai Havertz to lead the line and the huge task for Erling Haaland
This is the era of Manchester City and Arsenal, two elite enemies striving for nothing less than excellence whenever they cross that white line.
This is a date that Gunners boss Mikel Arteta will have had circled on his calendar ever since the fixtures were announced.
That’s because Sunday’s trip represents the ultimate challenge for Arteta and his men, who have never won at the Etihad.
The anticipation for this game takes me back to our clash with Manchester United in March 1998, the season I went on to secure my first title under Arsene Wenger.
That involved us silencing Old Trafford. We not only won 1-0, we handled whatever they threw at us and then, in the 79th minute, got our first-ever goal there in the Premier League. We achieved that by striking the perfect balance between defence and attack, and as Arteta’s Arsenal take on their own season-defining moment, that equilibrium is an absolute must.
MIkel Arteta will take his Arsenal side to the home of the Premier League champions on Sunday
Pep Guardiola’s Man City squad have had an extra day of rest compared to Arsenal
Sunday’s trip represents the ultimate challenge for Arteta and his men, who have never won at the Etihad
Against Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday, Arteta deployed Kai Havertz in the midfield role Martin Odegaard usually occupies just behind the No 9, who was Gabriel Jesus.
But I expect Havertz to go back to his best position and lead the line against City, which could see Jesus on the wing and Leandro Trossard starting, or he will stick with Gabriel Martinelli on the left.
Arsenal will also need to show a willingness to dig their heels in defensively when they aren’t pushing up to press.
They have to get every man behind the ball and build the Thames Barrier in front of their own box to stop that City attack from flooding through. That defensive determination should not be criticised, it should be celebrated. If you want to beat the very best, you need to show steel above everything else.
Arsenal are very good at that side of the game, with centre backs William Saliba and Gabriel forming possibly the Premier League’s toughest partnership.
Supporters had to wait a long time to see Jurrien Timber, but now we all know why they signed him. He shares the same DNA as Gabriel and Saliba, as shown by the physicality of his displays against Tottenham and Atalanta.
Timber was one of four players withdrawn during the second half on Thursday with Sunday’s game in mind. Playing three successive games away from home, as Arsenal have had to do, is not easy.
A trip to Italy to face the reigning Europa League champions, following a hard-fought win in the north London derby, is not ideal preparation, not least because City’s players had another 24 hours with their feet up after their Champions League tie with Inter Milan on Wednesday, which was also at home.
Arteta, to his credit, has not made excuses for the way the fixtures have fallen.
Instead, his analysts will have studied Brentford’s 2-1 loss at the Etihad last weekend and seen how the visitors’ approach was working until they were undone by Erling Haaland.
Thomas Frank’s side defended deep, playing intelligent passes and using their pace to attack on the break.
Expert Kai Havertz (left) to lead Arsenal’s line against City with Gunners captain Martin Odegaard (right) injured
Keeping City goalscorer Erling Haaaland quiet will be the main objective for Arsenal’s defence
Arsenal centre backs William Saliba (right) and Gabriel (left) have formed possibly the Premier League’s toughest partnership
Their ultimate downfall was failing to handle a new and improved Haaland, who has taken his finishing to an entirely new level, scoring 47 per cent of the shots he has taken in the Premier League this season as he sets them up with his right and buries them with his left.
Yet Arsenal have shown they know how to tame this emphatic marksman. Last season they were the only opponents against whom Haaland failed to secure a single shot on target home and away, as Gabriel and Saliba had him on lockdown.
This is a trio who are bound to be facing one another for years to come and Arsenal’s defenders will have done their homework.
They will be ready for Haaland’s runs, including when goalkeeper Ederson looks long for City’s striker, which was how they took the lead over Brentford. If Arsenal can do a defensive job on the Norwegian and use their opportunities to attack, this may finally be the day they leave the Etihad as winners.
