The seven games which exposed the crucial difference between Man City and Arsenal
The loss of Rodri has once again highlighted a vulnerability in Pep Guardiola’s side: an inability to hold on to leads, which may now prove to be decisive in the title race
Marc Guehi looked glum as he headed for the Manchester City bus outside Hill Dickinson Stadium. Understandably, too. His ability to pick the right pass had helped him settle smoothly into the City defence.
Until he picked the wrong pass, supplied Thierno Barry with a goal and a 3-3 draw altered the title race . This had seemed a sequel to 2014 and 2023, a night when City chalked up crucial wins at Everton in the run-in. Instead, there were flashbacks to a couple of other games which, indirectly, led to City becoming champions.
City conceded three times in 12 minutes on Monday; in 2014, in ‘Crystanbul’, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool let in three in the last 11 minutes away at Crystal Palace. That also finished 3-3. Go back to 2012, and City’s first league title since 1968 was aided by David Moyes’ Everton, mounting an extraordinary comeback to draw 4-4 with Manchester United.
In each case, two points were dropped in dramatic fashion. It may be of scant consolation to Guehi now but, if Arsenal hold on to their advantage at the Premier League summit, his uncharacteristic error will be far from the only reason. In the last couple of years, there has been the temptation to deem this team the City of old: the relentless, remorseless winning machine.
Continue to the original source for the full article.