Heartbreak but Promises Too for Arsenal Away at the Etihad Against Manchester City

If you had offered 11 from 15 possible points to Arsenal fans when the English Premier League fixtures first came out, given they had to play away from home at Aston Villa, Tottenham, and Manchester City in their first five matches, they would have happily accepted.

State of Play for Arsenal Before the Match

Had you also told them the circumstances in which they would earn those 11 points, most fans might have bitten off your hand: new signing Mikel Merino has been injured since his first training session, Declan Rice was absent from the North London derby through suspension—the match also missed through injury by another new signing, Riccardo Calafiori—and captain and talisman Martin Ødegaard injured on international duty before the week in which the club played Tottenham, Atalanta, and Manchester City away over eight days.

The Expectations Raised by Mikel Arteta

It is huge testament to the work Mikel Arteta has done that most Arsenal fans were left disappointed, for the second season running, with the draw away at the Etihad. It speaks to the expectations he has created—with the help of his brilliant young squad—amongst Gooners around the world that they are left dismayed with three wins and two draws from this run of fixtures.

Arsenal under Mikel Arteta are no longer the Arsenal of Arsène Wenger’s final years at the helm. They hate to lose, and very rarely do they settle for draws.

The Extraordinary Events at the Etihad

Away at the Etihad, against four-time champions Manchester City, they were not expected to win. Not without Ødegaard, White, and Merino. Certainly not once Erling Haaland ran through to give City the lead on nine minutes.

But then, Riccardo Calafiori scored. A beautifully taken goal from Martinelli’s lay-off. And Gabriel Magalhães did once more what he does best. What he had done to Tottenham away last Sunday.

Arsenal were suddenly 2-1 up, and in the ascendancy. There they might have stayed too but for the moment of madness from Leandro Trossard. So often their savior last season through crucial goals scored in the biggest of matches, he let down his team and managers in picking up his second yellow card.

For the second time in three league matches, Arsenal found themselves down to ten men, defending their slender one goal lead. On both occasions, they did eventually surrender those leads—in heartbreaking fashion against title rivals Manchester City, from a John Stones equalizer in the 98th minute.

The Promise of Arsenal and What Is To Come

Will they live to regret dropping these four points? Or might these two points earned in adversity prove the difference at the end of the season?

Mikel Arteta must make certain his players do not keep getting sent off, and hope for quick returns from injury for Ødegaard and Merino. Arsenal fans will hope referees refrain from taking the spotlight in their fixtures, over and again.

Most importantly, Arsenal have a relatively forgiving run of matches ahead. Six of their next seven will be at the Emirates, though PSG and Liverpool will be tough opponents. However, Mikel Arteta’s men have already demonstrated beyond doubt they can go toe-to-toe with anyone at all, and despite whatever adversity is thrown their way, they can come out on top.

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