After years of struggling against the Premier League’s top sides Arsene Wenger is convinced Arsenal have found the formula for dealing with their nearest rivals. Unfortunately for him it has still not been enough to mount a realistic title campaign.
Arsenal’s renaissance against the league’s traditional powers began at the Etihad in January of last year, when a disciplined side sacrificed possession for a more reactive approach and were rewarded with a 2-0 win.
Whilst they rarely threatened to repeat that result on Sunday they emerged with plenty of credit from a 2-2 draw that leaves them needing just a point in their final game of the season, at home to bottom side Aston Villa, to secure guaranteed Champions League football.
The result means Arsenal, the only side to beat champions Leicester home and away this season, end the season undefeated against the league’s current top four. Wenger took some degree of pride from this and praised his side for the way they had rallied back from Sergio Aguero’s eighth minute opener to secure a draw that leaves them highly likely candidates for a top three finish.
He said: “It is in our hands now but we have seen again today that we just want to finish the job with the result. That shows you that we have to focus and keep the focus. It is important to maintain that.
“We have had strong concentration in recent games and our character has been questioned a few times this season.
“We gave the right response today on the pitch, but you have to say if you look we have the best results against the top-four teams. That doesn’t come without character.”
Arsenal have secured 12 points from their six games against the current top four this season, three more than Tottenham, four than Leicester and 10 than Manuel Pellegrini’s side.
Manchester City twice took the lead in Sunday’s draw, Kevin De Bruyne’s well-struck effort in the second half following Olivier Giroud’s headed response to Aguero’s opener.
Once more though found a way back, Alexis Sanchez combining well with Giroud before firing a low effort into the bottom corner. For Wenger, who has seen his side cede a two goal advantage to West Ham and a lead to Crystal Palace in recent weeks, his side’s display of “character” offered some relief.
“It was a very intense game where we had a difficult start because Manchester City came out very strong,” he added. “We suffered a little, but every time we went down we showed character and came back twice in the game.
“Overall, I think Manchester City had good intensity in the game and there were a few times when we were in trouble, but we delivered a very strong performance.”
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