Mikel Arteta has admitted that Manchester City scoring an early goal forced him into several tactical decisions in Arsenal's 4-1 defeat on Wednesday. After just seven minutes, Kevin de Bruyne gave City the lead with an inch-perfect strike from the edge of the box and the reigning Premier League champions remained in complete control for the rest of the contest.
The Gunners have been excellent this season, but City's undeniable class and quality made them look totally superior to their title rivals. Pep Guardiola's team played through the Arsenal press elegantly and when it came to winning possession back, they were relentless. Ultimately, it was a timely reminder of just how good City are.
While it's absolutely fair to say Arsenal could do nothing about City's dominance, some of Arteta's decisions did not appear to help matters. Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey, asked to press high up, spent most of the contest running back to their own goal, with Rob Holding and Gabriel Magalhaes left brutally exposed against de Bruyne and Erling Haaland.
