Top Two Gear Up for FA Cup Clash

Manchester City vs Arsenal

The top two teams in the country right now are set for a collision course this Friday night – in the greatest cup competition of them all.

It’s the fourth round of the FA Cup and the reigning champions are hosting the league leaders at the Etihad Stadium.

After their late winner against Manchester United on Sunday, the Gunners remain five points clear of Manchester City at the summit with a game in hand and, as they prepare to face them in their own backyard, it’s certainly a tie which should produce plenty of FA Cup highlights.

However, some believe the north Londoners may not field a full strength side and that to bow out of the cup may help their league title chances.

So how will Mikel Arteta approach this game.

Talking Points

Of course, this is very much a clash of the modern day managerial master against an apprentice.

For Arteta was working as a coach under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, joining the club in 2016 after retiring as a player, until he returned to London as manager at the end of 2019.

Since taking the job, Arteta has won one FA Cup and a Community Shield and now is well on his way to making the Gunners what appears to be genuine title contenders.

Their advantage at the summit – eight points if they win their game in hand – is certainly a very good one at the halfway stage.

It has been achieved with a talented squad but not one blessed with great depth.

Arsenal head into the FA Cup fourth round tie with CIty after beating the Red Devils — Arsenal celebrate after beating Man United in the Premier League

For some, me included, I thought they would start to slip when they returned to action after the World Cup without the services of Gabriel Jesus.

Yet his replacement, Eddie Nketiah, has netted seven times in as many matches, to soften the absence of the Brazilian forward.

It is far more than the impact of Jesus’ goals and assists, though, that have contributed to the improvement.

Along with full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, it is the winning mentality both have brought to North London from the champions that appears to have rubbed off in more ways than one.

Signing a duo from a team as dominant as City has improved standards collectively at the Emirates and Arteta, who admitted he learnt a lot during his three and a bit years as Guardiola’s assistant, has led the improvement.

They have strengthened the squad this past week alone with the addition of Polish defender Jakub Kiwior and Leandro Trossard from Brighton – at least one of them is expected to feature on Friday night against the side Arteta believes is the ‘best team in the world’.

Would victory for either side really deliver a psychological advantage ahead of their league meeting next month?

I am not convinced. In fact, it may add to fixture congestion for Arsenal given they appear to have all their eggs in one basket this season. No wonder after more than 18 years without English football’s top prize.

According to reports from Italy, they have made Juventus star Federico Chiesa their number one transfer target.

The forward is one of many players strongly linked with a move away following a probe into the Italian club’s previous transfer dealings.

Last week, they were docked 15 points and now sit 27 adrift of league leaders Napoli with an uphill task of securing Champions League football for next season.

That position could be take advantage of and, if Arsenal snap up the Italy international this month, their number one target may help them become number one in England.

For now, however, it is the FA Cup and City should have too much.

History

While Arsenal have vast superiority in the overall head-to-head record, City have held a distinct upper hand since their takeover in 2008 saw them inherit new-found wealth.

That included success in both league games last season. City thrashed the Gunners 5-0 at home in August.

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Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres had already netted twice in the first 12 minutes before Granit Xhaka saw red.

That helped City open the floodgates with Jesus, Rodri and another from Torres completing the rout.

It was much closer in the return fixture on New Year’s Day but again City came out on top thanks to Rodri’s stoppage-time winner.

Bukayo Saka had fired Arsenal in front but a Riyad Mahrez penalty brought City level after the restart and two yellow cards in quick succession for defender Gabriel left the north Londoners facing half an hour with 10 men.

It meant the Gunners have now lost their 10 games against City in the Premier League.

Arsenal have not got a particularly good record at the Etihad Stadium either.

Aside from a surprising 2-0 win there in January 2015, secured by goals from Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud, the Gunners have not triumphed since 2010 – and that was a match in which City played 85 minutes with 10 men.

Arsenal still have the overall advantage with 98 wins to City’s 62 – the other 45 encounters have ended all square.