Beating Arsenal at the Emirates last season was crucial for Manchester City
Top on the list of things Premier League managers hate is losing before the international break.
Players can continue to play for their country, but anyone left behind is a bitter disappointment that has inevitably upset fans and raised questions from the team. There will be more perspective as the season goes on, but at this stage of the campaign the last game is 25 percent of games.
Brighton, for example, enjoyed it much more than Newcastle last week. Their defeat to West Ham was quickly forgotten as they hammered Eddie Howe’s side, while the result left the former Bournemouth boss seeing his side lose three out of four to start the season. Consider also Arsenal’s win over United at the Emirates, which almost went the same way for the visitors as the 90th minute approached, but instead became a home win that changed the narrative from an improved United and a faltering Arsenal to a neutral United (and going backwards up the pitch at an alarming rate) and a strong Arsenal with points against Fulham with the fallen.
City enjoyed a strong start as the only team with a 100 per cent record and Kyle Walker was keen on his desire to kill the Premier League title race early after the 5-1 win over Fulham. After collecting 100 points in the 2017/18 season, they were finished in the league by mid-December.
Games against West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Wolves offer more points, but the real draw for the Blues is the trip to the Emirates on October 8.
This will be their first game against a serious title contender and also happens to be the last game before another international break. City know they got under Arsenal’s skin last season (no, the title race wasn’t decided by one injury to William Saliba) and while the Gunners were buoyed by their penalty shootout victory in the Community Shield, they know in their heads. that they have is in danger of losing this league game. After leading for so much of last season and still losing, relentless Mikel Arteta will be tasked with lifting his players if they are still behind City in October.
A home win would of course do wonders for Arsenal’s morale and a draw could be enough to see them compete for the rest of the season, but if the Blues really want to share and win early this season, beat their rivals in their own backyard. would set the tone for the two-week break after that.
