Manchester City and Arsenal battled to a fiery 2-2 draw on Sunday, with City’s Manu Akanji confidently predicting his team will once again lift the Premier League trophy, while also criticizing Arsenal’s tactics.
City took an early lead, but Arsenal turned the game around before halftime. However, Leandro Trossard’s red card just before the break shifted the momentum, leaving Arsenal defending deep as City dominated the second half with 90 percent possession. Despite John Stones scoring a last-gasp equalizer in the 98th minute, tempers ran high afterward, with City frustrated by Arsenal’s time-wasting and defensive approach.
Bernardo Silva had already taken shots at Arsenal, ridiculing their lack of silverware and stating that only City came to play football, while John Stones condemned the Gunners’ “dirty” time-wasting. Now, Akanji has joined the criticism, accusing Arsenal of deliberately stirring up drama.
“That’s what they’re looking for. Every time we play against them, it’s the same: the drama,” Akanji said after the game. “It worked for them, so if they’re happy with a point, good for them. We’re not happy – we wanted more. But we’re still top of the league, we haven’t lost a game yet.”
He acknowledged that Arsenal’s tactics are frustrating to face, especially with their defense packed tight. “It’s tough when ten players are just sitting in their own box,” he added. But despite Arsenal’s efforts, Akanji remained confident that City would come out on top this season. “We’ve always won the title in the end, and I don’t think this year will be any different.”
He dismissed Arsenal as a major threat, saying City’s focus is on their own performances. “We don’t really worry about Arsenal. We won’t see them again for half a year, so now it’s just about concentrating on our games.”
Akanji’s comments echoed similar remarks from Rodri last season, who said Arsenal’s defensive play at the Etihad fueled City’s determination to win the title. Akanji clarified that it’s too early to declare the season over after just five games, but he didn’t hold back in criticizing Arsenal’s mentality and reliance on time-wasting.
“With the time-wasting, it’s out of our hands. That’s up to the referee to control,” Akanji noted, emphasizing how frustrating it is to face a team that continuously disrupts play. “They’d go down in every duel, take forever to get back up, or a teammate would even tell the goalkeeper to stay down.”
While Arsenal’s tactics clearly annoyed City, Akanji concluded by reinforcing his belief that City will continue to dominate. “At the end of the day, there’s nothing more we can do. It’s up to the referee to manage those situations. But we’re confident we’ll still win the league.”
