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Arsenal would have watched Manchester City’s Champions League game against Inter Milan and picked up strategies that can help them against the Premier League champions on Sunday.
The rivalry between Mikel Arteta's Arsenal and Pep Guardiola's Manchester City has become one of the most intriguing in English football, and it will resume this weekend when the Gunners make the trip to Etihad.
Arteta, a former City player and assistant coach under Guardiola, has developed a tactical setup that has challenged City's dominance.
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Last season, the Arsenal manager faced City three times and did not lose any of those games, while picking up one win after 90 minutes.
However, to further frustrate Guardiola and his City side, Arteta could look to learn from Inter Milan, a team that recently troubled City in the Champions League.
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Here are three tactics Arteta could employ to disrupt City's rhythm and secure victories:
1. Exploit City's high pressing vulnerability
Inter Milan were successful when building up against City by exploiting their high pressing game. While City's press is often relentless and effective, it can also leave them vulnerable to counterattacks.
Arteta could instruct his players to play patiently and wait for the right moment to strike. A deep-lying playmaker, like Thomas Partey, could be crucial in initiating counterattacks and finding the right passes to bypass City's press.
Furthermore, Arteta could consider using a more direct approach to play, bypassing midfield and targeting City's defenders with long balls, using Kai Havertz’s aerial strength to knock down balls to other attackers.
This could force City to retreat deeper, opening up spaces in midfield and allowing Arsenal to play through the lines.
2. Leverage physicality and intensity
Inter Milan matched City's intensity and physicality, making it difficult for City to dominate the midfield.
Arteta could instruct his players to be aggressive in their challenges and win second balls. A midfield pairing of Partey and Declan Rice, for example, could provide the necessary physicality and defensive solidity to disrupt City's possession-based play.
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Additionally, Arteta could deploy a more direct and physical forward, like Havertz, to challenge City's defenders and create chances from crosses. A physical presence up front can also help to tire out City's defenders and disrupt their build-up play.
3. Target the space behind City's full-backs
City's full-backs play a crucial role in their attacking build-up, either holding the width high up the pitch or inverting into midfield to offer an extra option.
By targeting City's full-backs, Arteta could force them to be more cautious in their positioning and limit their ability to invert and provide width. A combination of high pressing and targeted marking of City's full-backs could disrupt their rhythm and create turnovers.
Furthermore, Arteta could instruct his wingers to cut inside and target the space between City's full-backs and center-backs. This could create overloads in City's defence and provide opportunities for Arsenal to score.
When the two teams take to the pitch on Sunday, Manchester City will likely be the protagonist while Arsenal tries to contain them and hit on the break.
With Kevin De Bryune likely to miss the clash, the Gunners could fancy their chances of picking up a win at the Etihad.
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