The tactics behind Arsenal’s important win

With this 1-0 win, Mikel Arteta became the first manager in eight years to guide Arsenal to a Premier League victory against Manchester City. The Gunners had pushed Pep Guardiola’s treble-winners hard in the 2022/23 Premier League title race. Now, aiming to challenge for top spot again, edging Guardiola’s serial trophy winners on this occasion felt like an important step.

City travelled to the Emirates Stadium missing Rodri from their midfield through suspension. With Kevin De Bruyne injured and Ilkay Gundogan no longer at the club, it was a different City from the team that swept all before them last season.

Nonetheless, the champions’ strength-in-depth is such that they still fielded a formidable line up. Arsenal themselves were missing Bukayo Saka in attack, but managed to overcome his absence – and the visitors – with a determined display.

Both teams were well-organised defensively, with chances at a premium. It looked as though the match would end goalless, until the home team carved out a chance in the 86th minute. Even then, it took a deflection from City defender Nathan Aké for Gabriel Martinelli’s shot to wrong-foot Ederson. 

All that mattered for Arsenal, though, was doing enough to take three points from City. More than that, Arteta’s team fuelled belief they can seriously challenge for the title again.

How the managers saw it

“To beat them we have to lose against them,” said Mikel Arteta. “We have to lose probably the way we lost at the Etihad [4-1 in April]. We lost in two different ways last season. The team showed a real maturity today. That comes from experiences. Sometimes you need that to become a better team.”

“We started really well with two or three chances,” said Guardiola. “They started the second half really well with the rhythm. Then it was tight and they got a deflection goal. They won, congratulations to them.”

Below, our coaching experts highlight the key tactical points from this top of the table match-up…

Silva as the pivot

Manchester City’s 4-3-3 shape had their wide attackers, Phil Foden and Julián Álvarez, move inside to act as 10s around Erling Haaland. Full-backs Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol overlapped to create width. Number eights Rico Lewis and Matero Kovacic supported close by, ahead of the surprise single pivot Bernado Silva (below).

This gave City lots of central numbers for combinations. At the same time, Arsenal – especially their double pivot – found it easier to cover central passes. City’s numbers did help them on the defensive transition. They nullified almost all of Arsenal’s attempted central counter attacks, forcing them back quickly when possession changed.

Within the left inside-channel, Foden made runs in beyond to receive. This was especially the case when Arsenal’s double pivot moved onto Álvarez, or jumped out to Kovacic or Aké.

Haaland moving across also meant Ben White and William Saliba were initially unsure how to deal with Foden. White then committed to tracking Foden’s runs beyond, as well as when he looked to receive shorter passes between the lines.

This allowed Gvardiol to threaten beyond Gabriel Jesus (below), forcing Arsenal’s winger to work back. But Gvardiol’s final third quality didn’t cause Arsenal any problems, and City struggled to create chances. 

High pressing

Arsenal’s own 4-3-3 also adapted when in possession. Oleksandr Zinchenko often moved inside, with the hosts building from a back three. Whenever Zinchenko stayed wider, Kyle Walker moved out of the back line to jump his opposing full-back (below), initiating a higher press from his forward teammates.

City then pressed high using their 4-1-4-1 shape, with Lewis and Kovacic jumping out from midfield (above), onto the dropping pivots of Declan Rice and Jorginho. Haaland stayed narrow to move onto Saliba, with wingers Álvarez and Foden covering White and Gabriel.

Both team’s high presses initially did a great job of nullifying a deeper build-up. But City had more success in the first half with dangerous regains, on David Raya in particular.

Lewis jumped out of City’s midfield on to the hosts’ goalkeeper (below), attempting to block the pass to the man he had been marking – usually Rice. Haaland narrowed slightly for extra central cover, Foden and Álvarez maintained their wide defensive roles, and Kovacic backed up Lewis to help City win the ball high. Raya was fortunate not to be punished at least once. 

Arsenal’s high press involved a 4-4-2 shape, with Martin Ødegaard moving higher to support Eddie Nketiah in the hosts’ first line. Where possible, the home side forced the play to their right, pressing in to out. Rice or Jorginho then jumped on to Silva or Kovacic (below).

Arsenal then attempted to lock the play to the touchline, with Jesus on Gvardiol, and White aggressive to Foden (above). Only once did City purposefully play over Arsenal’s first-half press into Haaland, as Arteta’s side nullified much of City’s deeper build up. 

Changes to try to win the game

Zinchenko continued to narrow during the first part of Arsenal’s build-up and when City recovered into a set mid-block. But when Arsenal progressed into the final third, with Gabriel Martinelli on in the second half, Zinchenko moved forward to support and cross (below).

Arsenal’s wide right pairing of White and Jesus also operated higher in the second half. This forced Foden and Álvarez to work deeper without the ball. When Rice won transitional moments to stop City breaking out, he found the wide duo on the opposite side, to initiate another attack.

Arteta’s additional changes saw Kai Havertz (replacing Nketiah) support around Odegaard (below). This gave Arsenal an outlet to play over City’s midfield with more forward passes. Jesus and Martinelli narrowed into the inside channels, creating a tight foursome to try and combine through or over City. Full-backs White and Takehiro Tomiyasu (on for Zinchenko) provided wide support to play around.

Thomas Partey (on for Jorginho) played alongside Rice in a double pivot, giving Arsenal improved duelling. This was notable on the transition, as they tried to lock City in and create periods of high pressure towards the end of the match.

The goal came from a long ball played by Partey into Tomiyasu. The Japan international headed down to Havertz, who set it back for Martinelli. The Brazilian’s deflected effort beat Ederson, with all of Arteta’s subs combining for the winning goal.

Prior to conceding, Guardiola changed to a flatter and wider front line trio, with Foden and Jérémy Doku (on for Álvarez) as wingers. Doku began on the right, looking to get at Zinchenko, but was then moved to the left.

At the same time that Doku was introduced in the 68th minute, Guardiola brought John Stones and Matheus Nunes on for Lewis and Kovacic. Stones initially operated as a single pivot, but Nunes gradually dropped from number eight to form a double pivot on the ball (below).

Silva then rotated, working off Stones’ movements, usually as City’s highest number eight. There, he could combine with Foden coming in off the right, which created space for Walker to push forward. City focused on right-sided overloads and combinations, freeing Doku on the left to attack 1v1. However despite these changes, they still struggled to create against Arsenal’s impressive back line.

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