Man City holds the ball with the fewest records when defeating Arsenal
At the Emirates Stadium, Man City has the lowest number of stats in the English Premier League under Guardiola, including ball control (36.4%), passing accuracy (72.76%) and successful passes (219) ).
This is the match where Man City has the second least possession of the ball under the Spanish coach, after the rate of 34.66% in the match against Barca at the Etihad Stadium in the fourth round of the Champions League group stage in the 2016-2017 season. At that time, Man City won 3-1 thanks to Kevin de Bruyne and a double from Ilkay Gundogan, and Lionel Messi scored an honorable goal for Barca.
If you include the Premier League and Champions League, Guardiola's Man City only holds the ball 14 times less than the opponent in 319 matches.
Against Arsenal on February 15, Man City controlled the ball 41% in the first half and 32% in the second half. If the second half is divided into 15 minute segments, there is only one time when Man City has more possession of the ball. After the break, Guardiola's men held the ball 62%. This parameter dropped in the last half hour of the match, when Man City scored two more goals in the 72nd and 82nd minutes. The defending Premier League team only held the ball 30% in the next 15 minutes and 24% in the last 15 minutes.
Not holding much of the ball, but Man City played more effectively and scored three goals thanks to Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland. Meanwhile, Arsenal only equalized one goal late in the first half thanks to Bukayo Saka's penalty kick.
Arsenal lost their 11th consecutive game to Man City in the Premier League - their longest losing streak against an opponent in the history of the competition. Guardiola also beat Mikel Arteta's Arsenal in eight of nine games, including four at the Emirates. In the other match, Arsenal beat Man City 2-0 in the FA Cup semi-final in July 2020 thanks to a double from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Winning at Emirates also helps Man City catch up with Arsenal and return to the top of the table thanks to more than the difference. For the third time in Premier League history that the second-placed team beat the top team to rise to the top for at least half of the season, after the Chelsea game against Man Utd in April 2010 and Man City against Man Utd in January. April 2012. Both times, the winning team was crowned at the end of the season.
In the 24th round of the Premier League this weekend, Man City is a guest of Nottingham Forest, while Arsenal march to the yard of Aston Villa.
