Arsène Wenger heaped praise on his Arsenal team following their 2-1 victory over Manchester City on Monday night and said beating a fellow title contender had strengthened belief within the club that they can be Premier League champions for the first time since 2004.
First-half goals from Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud ultimately proved enough for Arsenal to earn all three points after a contest in which City dominated possession and territory but were undone by a combination of their defensive sloppiness, a lack of penetration in attack and the hosts’ ruthlessness on the break. City did get a goal back via Yaya Touré’s stunning long-range strike on 82 minutes but could not find an equaliser and stay in third, four points behind Arsenal in second. Wenger’s team are only two points behind the leaders, Leicester, with the Frenchman going into the Christmas programme enthused by the prospects of eventually overhauling Claudio Ranieri’s men.
“I don’t know what kind of statement it makes but for us it was a vital game, a game you come out very happy because it has shown the ingredients you need in big games; strong organisation, moments of brilliance, moments when you need to hang on,” said Wenger. “It’s too early to say [we will] win the league but it strengthens our belief that we have a word to say. What is interesting is there is a real life, a real togetherness in this team.”
Arsenal’s standout performer once again was Mesut Özil. The German came into this match having been struck down by a chest infection but still supplied both Arsenal’s goals to take his assist tally for the Premier League season to 15 – only five players have ever managed more in a single campaign. “At the end of the day you need one guy who gives the ball to one who scores the goal and in our team most of the time Özil is this player,” said Wenger. “I believe he has developed his physical attributes, his physical commitment, you see a desire to win. This kind of talent is exceptional and he realises he can help us in every game.”
Arsenal have now won their last four matches in all competitions but suffered another injury setback before their Boxing Day visit to Southampton. Alexis Sánchez, who has been out since the end of last month with a hamstring strain picked up in the draw at Norwich City, is now unlikely to return to action until 10 January at the earliest after picking up, in Wenger’s words, a “little pain” during a training session on Saturday.
For Manchester City this was a fifth league defeat of the season – they lost seven matches during the whole of the previous campaign – and comes at a bad time for Manuel Pellegrini given the possibility of him losing his job as City manager is once again being discussed openly and in light of Pep Guardiola’s availability in the summer. The Chilean remains defiant, however, insisting his side did not deserve to lose here. “I am very happy with the character and the personality of the team, they never gave up,” he insisted.
One bright spot for Pellegrini was the sight of Sergio Agüero in City colours, with the Argentina striker playing for 63 minutes in what was his first match since hurting his heel against Southampton on 28 November.