In the Champions League it was enough to win against RB Leipzig, but in the Premier League Manchester City is under pressure. In the top game at Arsenal FC, there is a risk of losing the lead in the table.
The ball ran skillfully through their own ranks and Leipzig just ran after it. The 3-1 win looked relaxed and easy at times Manchester City at RB Leipzig on the second matchday Champions League.
But at home Premier League Things haven’t been going well lately. And that’s where City’s top game against FC is on Sunday (5.30 p.m.). arsenal at. Although they are “Skyblues” Leading the way with 18 points before matchday 8, Arsenal are in third place with just one point less and could overtake City and take the lead in the table with a win.
Previously two bankruptcies in a row
On the last matchday, Manchester City had the Wolverhampton Wanderers suffered their first league defeat with 1:2. That wouldn’t have been so bad if it hadn’t been the second defeat in just a few days. Shortly before, the team had been eliminated surprisingly early in the League Cup in round three and had Newcastle United lost 0-1.
Two defeats in a row were very rare for the team under star coach Pep Guardiola. Arsenal FC, on the other hand, is still unbeaten on the island, but recently suffered a surprising 1-2 defeat at RC in the Champions League Lens.
First trophy already gone
The defeat in Newcastle was particularly bitter for City. After all, the team, which was used to success, had set itself the goal before the season of winning the “quadruple”: winning the championship, the Champions League, the FA Cups – and also the League Cup.
Guardiola had himself to blame for the bankruptcy. In Newcastle he fielded a B team without star striker Erling Haaland. “I don’t want to waste any energy at this early stage in this competition.”explained the Spaniard afterwards.
Criticism of bus travel
Guardiola is talking a lot about stress these days anyway. “There are simply a lot of games in a season with very few breaks, we ask a lot of the players – and sometimes they can’t handle it. Especially when it comes to muscle injuries, it’s often due to the large number of games.”, he explained. The coach currently has to do without Kevin De Bruyne and John Stones.
Guardiola is of course right in his criticism of the tight schedule. But with him the criticism sometimes takes on bizarre traits. Before the game in Newcastle he complained that his stars had to travel on the away trip by bus. The estimated driving time for the 142 miles (around 230 kilometers) was two and a half to three hours. However, he would have preferred to travel the short distance by plane because the recovery time would have been significantly longer.
Lots of mockery and malice
He was subsequently treated with malice by the English press “Bus driver” titled. “Bus-ted” (“busted”) he punned “Mirror”the “Daily Mail” saw the Catalan with City on the “Road to Nowhere”.
Momentum is with Arsenal
So the momentum lies with Arsenal FC. He can draw self-confidence from winning the English Super Cup before the big game. Shortly before the start of the season they had “Gunners” in London Wembley-Stadium City defeated 4-1 on penalties. For coach Mikel Arteta’s team, it was their first win against City after eight defeats in a row.