Manchester City will take on Arsenal tomorrow at the Etihad Stadium. The Premier League clash between the two teams will be the first meeting of the title rivals this season. A big game awaits on Sunday. Although it isn’t a title decider given how early the game is taking place in the new season. But ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster fixture, the respect between the two managers and teams has been evident.
Speaking during his pre-game press conference Pep Guardiola was quick to stress that Sunday’s match is far from a title decider. He also had praise for Mikel Arteta’s side. The Manchester City manager said: “Always been a tight game in the last years because they are good but we are good too. In many things, high pressing, transition, they are a complete team. That’s why they have been our biggest rivals in last two seasons. Early stage of the season so nothing more than mood and influence for next games. In terms of table, it’s not so important. What will be important is when we go to London in the second part of the season.”
For Arsenal, Mikel Arteta is hoping that his team can show that they’ve closed the gap on Manchester City. Arteta told the media that he is hoping that his team can show that they compete with Pep Guardiola’s side. In quotes relayed by the BBC, Arteta said: “We go to the home of the champions, the team that I think in Premier League history has been the most consistent ever, not only in terms of results but in terms of dominance and consistent top performances. This is the challenge, we have to go there and prove that again we’ve made another step and we can compete.”
Sunday’s match promises to be another tense affair between Manchester City and Arsenal. While the teams are fierce rivals on the pitch, it is clear that there is a huge amount of respect between the teams and managers. That is something that is evident based on Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta’s statements yesterday.
But despite this, there is no doubt that Sunday’s match promises to be another hotly contested affair. Arsenal want what Manchester City have, and Manchester City want to keep what they hold. While Sunday’s match isn’t a title decider there is the opportunity for either team to send the other a message. It’s against that backdrop that the two teams will meet at the Etihad on Sunday.