Arsenal Playing Catch-Up as Manchester City Soar to Five-Point Lead
Manchester City has set the pace yet again in the Premier League, sitting five points clear of Arsenal after only nine games. Despite Arsenal’s best efforts over the past few seasons, the Gunners find themselves grappling to stay in sight of Pep Guardiola’s high-flying squad.
Mikel Arteta, however, remains steadfast. The Arsenal manager, who has led his side to two consecutive runner-up finishes, is far from discouraged. Though his team has already dropped points in nearly half of their league outings, he believes a turning point is within reach. “You don’t want to be in that position,” he acknowledged following Arsenal’s recent 2-2 draw with Liverpool. “You want to be five points ahead, but this is where we are.”
This gap includes a crucial moment in Arsenal’s 2-2 clash at the Etihad, where John Stones’ dramatic injury-time goal salvaged a draw for City, keeping their unbeaten streak intact and denying Arsenal a chance to close the gap. So far, City remains untouched by defeat across all competitions, holding a slender lead over Liverpool at the summit.
Arteta, though realistic about the situation, sees resilience and hunger in his squad. “The team is alive, the team wants it. I feel it every single day,” he shared. Even the sidelined players are itching to contribute. “The ones getting injured, the ones that are there, they are in a good moment.”
Confident that fortunes will soon favor the Gunners, Arteta added, “Things will turn up, and we are going to be in a better place. But we are certainly there.” For Arsenal, it’s now a race to reignite their momentum and prove they’re capable of dethroning City this season.
