The expectation – perhaps the fear – had been that Manchester City against Arsenal would be like their two league meetings last season: of undoubted high quality and tension, but a little tepid, lacking the blood and thunder to live long in the memory for neutrals. Instead, what played out was a classic, a game of a million subplots, of controversy and brilliance and doziness that became, ultimately, almost a re-enactment of José Mourinho’s Internazionale eliminating Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona in the 2010 Champions League semi-final.
Arsenal had kept nine clean sheets in 11 away league games this year with the win over Tottenham last week, via a header from a corner after a stifling defensive display, making clear that Mikel Arteta, although he served an apprenticeship as Guardiola’s assistant, is in no sense a Guardiola clone. Many even said he has a streak of Mourinho (who himself, of course, was schooled in the Barcelona method before adapting it) but, still, few thought that by Sunday afternoon he’d have embraced the role with such gusto.
