Numerous critics with selective memory claim Arsenal posed the greatest challenge to Manchester City throughout the season, yet both statistics and Man City supporters would argue otherwise.
Sunday witnessed Manchester City being held to a 0-0 draw by Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal at home. Notably, William Saliba and Gabriel from Arsenal were duly praised for their defensive performances in the match.
Gary Neville commented on Arsenal’s defensive performance, stating, “I’ve never seen a team make it so difficult for Manchester City in the final third.”
Neville’s comments prompted fans to recall Manchester City’s December away match against Aston Villa, where Villa secured a 1-0 win against Pep Guardiola’s side.
City amassed 12 shots in their match against Arsenal on Sunday, a significant difference from their game against Aston Villa, where they could only produce two shots. Aston Villa, on the other hand, bombarded the Sky Blues with 22 shots.
Furthermore, City’s two shots against Unai Emery’s side occurred within the first 15 minutes of the game, with no subsequent threat posed to Villa thereafter.
Twitter Reacts to Gary Neville’s Comments
There have been various reactions on X, with some alleging “lazy punditry” and “top six bias” among the comments.
No team outside the big 6 exist to these clowns.
Embarrassing @GNev2.
Villa held Man City to 2 shots all game. Both in the first 15 minutes. We played them off the park that day having 22 shots ourselves. https://t.co/P5NuKLptSw
— billy (@avbiIly) March 31, 2024
Man City had more shots against Arsenal than in their last PL game against Liverpool. Also they were restricted to 2 shots against Villa. It's just lazy punditry. https://t.co/nEzXaTLUvs
— Sam (or Chloe or Sophia or Marcus) (@samtihero) April 1, 2024
Usual big 6 clueless drivel from @GNev2 and co.
Villa annilhated Man City and restricted them to 2 shots 3 months ago.
— Pete (@pas5898) March 31, 2024
Could Man City’s Title Hopes Be Over On Wednesday?
Manchester City’s upcoming match against Aston Villa at the Etihad on Wednesday night could spell the end of their hopes of a record fourth consecutive Premier League title if it mirrors their previous encounter.
In fact, the two shots taken by Manchester City against Aston Villa last time represent the lowest ever recorded by a Pep Guardiola-led team in a match within Europe’s top five leagues. Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s impressive 22 shots stood as the joint-highest number faced by a Guardiola-led side during that period.
A defeat on Wednesday could potentially see Manchester City trailing by six points from the top spot, provided other results don’t favour them. Such a deficit holds notable significance as the season enters its final eight games.
Following Sunday’s outcome, Opta’s title predictor now favours Liverpool for the first time this season. Prior to the match, Liverpool’s chance of winning the league stood at 35.3%, but it has since increased to 47.7%.
Despite being in third place, Man City are the second favorites for the title with a 33.5% chance, followed by Arsenal with an 18.8% chance of winning the Premier League title.
Adding to Manchester City’s woes following their disappointing draw against Arsenal over the weekend, Nathan Ake has now joined the list of injured defenders, alongside John Stones and Kyle Walker, who sustained injuries during the international break.
With a depleted defence, Aston Villa may capitalise on this opportunity to maintain their momentum from the weekend and potentially defeat the three-time consecutive champions.
With aspirations of clinching a Champions League spot at the end of the season, Unai Emery’s Villa currently occupies fourth place, boasting a 3-point advantage over other hopefuls like Spurs. However, it’s worth noting that Spurs have a game in hand over Aston Villa.
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