Manchester City knows exactly when to be decisive in the Premier League title race. If there is any doubt about that, they dispelled it in the 3-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
That is a development that further increases the anxiety in Mikel Arteta and Arsenal players, who are extremely stressed before the match that could decide the championship with Man City at the Etihad Stadium this weekend.
If Arsenal wins, they will widen the gap to 9 points at the top of the table and dispel worries after losing 3 of their last 4 matches in all competitions - including the Carabao Cup final against Man City - and move closer to their first championship since 2004. But if Man City wins, they will only be 3 points behind Arsenal, and know that winning in the match-fixing match will almost certainly help them rise to the top thanks to goal difference.
The goal difference made the last 8 minutes of the match against Chelsea noteworthy, and also clearly reflected the psychology in Guardiola's squad.
Before this round, Man City was 7 goals behind Arsenal in goal difference, but after Bournemouth's surprise 2-1 victory at the Emirates and Man City's victory at Stamford Bridge, the gap has been narrowed to only 3 goals in favor of Arsenal. That gap could completely be filled if The Citizens defeated Arsenal and won the match-fixed match against Crystal Palace, although the situation is still very close.
Therefore, despite leading by 3 goals when entering injury time, Man City's cruelty was still clearly shown. The match was almost decided, Chelsea fans began to leave the field, but the fourth referee announcing 8 minutes of extra time seemed to further motivate Guardiola's players to play more fiercely. They continuously attacked as if they were looking for an equalizer or a decisive goal. In which, Erling Haaland tried his best to find a goal for himself.
Chelsea is pressured by a Man City that understands the importance of every goal. Although they cannot score more, the message they send is very clear: every goal is valuable and they will not miss opportunities.
I didn't tell the players about goal difference before the match, but I like the way they still try to score more goals when they are leading 3-0. I like Savinho making many crosses and the whole team always trying to score, although I'm not sure whether goal difference makes a difference or not" - Guardiola shared.
In contrast to Man City, Arsenal did not show the same determination. They are under great pressure as the opportunity to win the quadruple gradually disappears, and scoring only 3 goals in the last 4 matches shows clear signs of decline.
Man City has scored 9 goals without conceding in 3 matches since the defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League. They seem to be playing even better under pressure, while Arsenal is being restrained by that pressure.
Although the first half was quite dull, Man City still controlled the game against an unstable Chelsea and the absence of Enzo Fernandez due to suspension.
The turning point came when Man City accelerated at the beginning of the second half. They played sharper and quickly decided the match. Rayan Cherki shone with two assists in 6 minutes, helping Nico O'Reilly and Marc Gurhi score. Cherki's accurate passes showed his growing influence since joining Lyon. The latest assist helped him increase the total to 10 times in the season.
Cherki, Guehi and Antoine Semenyo are all contracts that have proven their ability, contrary to Chelsea's strategy of prioritizing young players who still need to develop.
This victory is proof of the value of experience compared to potential. Man City won 3-0 when Jeremy Doku scored after stealing the ball from Moises Caicedo.
Man City can completely win more heavily, but the important thing is that they have put great pressure on Arsenal. "The Gunners" can still reverse the situation if they defeat Man City, but if they do not improve their decisiveness and bravery, the championship race is likely to lean towards Guardiola's team.
