Rio Ferdinand has warned Mikel Arteta his Arsenal side will get ‘pumped’ by Manchester City in next weekend’s summit meeting if he sets as much as play for a draw.
A contrasting weekend of fortunes for the highest two has dramatically shifted the momentum within the favour of Pep Guardiola’s rampant chasers who underlined their intent with a dominant 3-0 win over Chelsea.
City’s performance couldn’t have been more contrasting to the one given by the Gunners 24 hours earlier where nerves and apprehension were so clearly in evidence against Bournemouth.
Apoint next week would still keep Arsenal’s noses in front but Ferdinand believes Arteta can ill-afford to depend on the type of defensive approach that yielded a draw two years ago when the 2 teams faced off within the closing stages of the 2023/24 season.
The previous Manchester United defender cited abject give up against PSG last week as evidence of what might occur to Arsenal in the event that they try to copy the approach employed by Arne Slot against the Champions League holders.
Ferdinand told his YouTube channel: ‘In the event you go there and sit back like Liverpool did at PSG the opposite day it’s slapsville.
‘You’re getting pumped. You may’t do this. Do you win leagues doing that?’
Arsenal’s form has tailed off dramatically since their Carabao Cup final defeat against City last month and Ferdinand believes the onus is on Arteta to seek out an answer to the issues provided by the pressing systems which have blunted the attacking threat of his side in recent weeks.
‘That is glaring the best way City arrange block all passing lanes, pressing high,’ said Ferdinand. ‘I don’t think Bournemouth went 4 up the pitch as glaring in the exact same way.
‘They were great by way of blocking passing lanes making Arsenal having to go over it or simply panic a bit of bit and provides the ball away.
‘I feel is that the blueprint? Bournemouth have copied it their very own way. Mikel Arteta and his team haven’t found a solution yet.
‘It wasn’t a superb performance. A minimum of get about and put it on some players.’
While Arsenal are back in European motion against Sporting Lisbon in midweek, City will get pleasure from every week off to organize.
On facing Arsenal, Guardiola said: ‘We have now seven days. So prepare mentally. Beating Arsenal once is difficult, they proved that each one season. So to beat them twice in a margin of three weeks is even tougher.
‘We play at home, it’s a final. Loosen up and deal with what we want to do through that game. In the event you win or for those who lose everybody knows.
‘We have now to discuss what now we have to do against a team that defends well, wins duels, attacks also with the long balls, thousand million things that they do brilliantly this season that make them one of the best team in England – the numbers are there – and one of the best team in Europe – the numbers are there. We have now incredible respect.
‘I actually have three people in front of me here, did you bet £1 before the Carabao Cup final that we’d win? No likelihood. You were all considering Arsenal was going to win. We have now to regulate that next Sunday.’
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