Arsenal and Man City don't have as many English titles as Man United or Liverpool. They also don't occupy the same region, giving fans the opportunity to create hatred. Perhaps the rivalry between The Gunners and The Citizens comes from the time Mikel Arteta left Pep Guardiola to start his own career at the Emirates.
Since Liverpool's championship in 2020, Arsenal has grown stronger and stronger, but they have always been defeated by Man City in the decisive moments leading to the championship. Gradually, in the matches between the two teams, instead of the gentleness created on the coaching bench, hot heads appeared more often.
The clashes between the two teams are getting more and more intense, with players retaliating against each other. Sometimes, petty clashes also appear. It seems that both sides are looking for ways to bring down their opponents. At this point, the hatred between Arsenal and Man City is not a staged play, it is a reality that comes from the thoughts of each player on the field.
When Arteta left Etihad, deciding to separate from Pep to stand on his own two feet, Man City was always the biggest obstacle for the Spanish strategist to assert himself. In the period 2021 - 2024, Liverpool has a strength that cannot be underestimated, but for Arsenal, they need to win against Man City to assert their position. In fact, until the final rounds, the "Gunners" always looked forward when Man City was still standing tall as an obstacle and not any other opponent.
More than 20 years ago, Arsenal used to compete with Man United every season. The hatred between the two teams was very fierce from 2000 until Sir Alex retired. Now, when Man City won the treble, winning the Premier League 6/7 times in the last season, Arsenal are facing a different version of Man United that made them struggle in the early years of the 21st century.
The words that both sides used for each other were no longer as gentle as before. When both Arsenal and Man City were in trouble and were desperate for points to compete, the players from both sides sometimes considered each other as enemies. In the match in September 2024, after the final whistle, Erling Haaland told Mikel Arteta to be humble. The Norwegian striker also did not forget to compare Gabriel Jesus to a clown.
As for John Stones, the centre-back called the opponent's way of playing "a bit clever mixed with ugliness". Stones also did not forget to emphasize that Arsenal has been a dirty team for many years and created a subtle cover-up.
Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva is much more confident when talking about Arsenal. According to the Portuguese midfielder, the competition between Man City and Liverpool is different from Arsenal. Silva said that Liverpool in the era of Jurgen Klopp has won every tournament while Arsenal is still empty-handed in the big tournaments.
The City midfielder shared that when Man City faced Liverpool, victory was what both teams aimed for. But when facing Arsenal, there were many factors besides victory that needed to be won at all costs.
The rivalry between Arsenal and Man City does not stop at the expertise on the field, it also comes from factors outside of expertise such as financial matters.
One of the teams that most "enthusiastically" supports the investigation of Man City is Arsenal. If they succeed in getting Man City involved in legal trouble, Arsenal can indirectly destroy their biggest rival in the last 4 seasons in the Premier League.
The Man City team that travels to the Emirates this weekend is not the strongest version of the Pep Guardiola era. Perhaps for the first time in many years, Arsenal no longer feel afraid of their opponents even when playing at home. If the main opponent this season is Liverpool, Arteta and his team should put aside their hatred and aim for the ultimate goal in the most direct way.
If Arsenal continue to engage in unnecessary psychological warfare and are too influenced by the media after the match, they will close the door on themselves this season. Remember that the gap between them and Liverpool is still quite large, just one more misstep and the "Gunners" will have their 21st consecutive season without knowing the taste of the national championship.
