Arsenal players reportedly feel they have “rattled” Manchester City after both sets of players came to blows at the end of Sunday’s big Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium.
Man City equalised deep into stoppage time against Arsenal’s ten men, who had largely done quite well to keep Pep Guardiola’s side from creating anything that threatening throughout a second half in which they did, admittedly, hugely dominate possession.
It was a bad-tempered affair, and the Independent have now done an interesting report on the genuinely aggressive rivalry that seems to be growing between the two clubs, in a way that we haven’t seen for some time in the Premier League.
Arsenal players feel they left City’s players rattled, judging from their reaction at the final whistle and some of the comments that have been made in the press since then, and the report adds that the Gunners may now feel even more driven to beat this City team to the title.
The Independent add, however, that City themselves might also react to this by showing even more determination to beat AFC to the title again.
Arsenal and City rivalry a real throwback to the Premier League’s glory years
It’s been well documented that the Premier League has lacked a rivalry like this for some time, with City and Liverpool always seeming to have a healthy respect for each other when they were both going for the title.
Back in the late 90s and early 00s, however, there was genuine animosity between the players at Manchester United and Arsenal as they competed year in, year out, and we’re starting to see something like that emerge here.
There was never quite the same feeling that City and Liverpool figures, whether the managers or the players, personally disliked each other in quite the same way that those United and Arsenal teams did.
It would be great entertainment to see something like that again to add even more tension to what should be another close and intriguing title race between City and Arsenal this season.