Gary Neville: Arsenal answered big questions over title credentials with unique defensive display at Man City | Football News

Gary Neville felt Arsenal answered questions on their mentality and their defensive resilience as they held champions Manchester Metropolis to a goalless attract a decent recreation on the Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal restricted Pep Guardiola’s facet to a solitary shot heading in the right direction, changing into the primary staff to maintain a clear sheet on the Etihad since 2021 and ending a 57-game Metropolis scoring run at residence.

Their defensive show bore sharp distinction to their dire efficiency on the similar floor final season, when Metropolis seized management of the title race with a dominant 4-1 win.

William Saliba missed that recreation via harm, however the Frenchman was described as a “big on the pitch” by Neville as he named him participant of the match on Sunday.

In keeping with the Sky Sports activities pundit, Saliba’s efficiency underlined how a lot he was missed throughout final 12 months’s run-in and proved the Gunners are stronger contenders this 12 months, regardless of sitting two factors behind leaders Liverpool, who beat Brighton within the earlier recreation.

“I feel they answered two massive questions immediately,” Neville stated on Sky Sports activities. “One is on their mentality. Might they reside in an enormous recreation towards Manchester Metropolis?

“They folded right here final 12 months and so they had been in every single place, whereas immediately they withstood lots of stress and seemed like a staff that might undergo a title problem and have much more psychological power.

“That is an enormous query answered, as a result of it is troublesome to come back right here.

“The opposite one is on the defensive facet of issues. Final 12 months, it was instructed that with out Saliba they had been harmed, and that is been confirmed immediately.

“Saliba was immense, there is no doubt about that. So was Gabriel.

“However for me, the work ethic of the 2 vast gamers and the 2 forwards was additionally unimaginable.”

For a 3rd consecutive recreation towards Arsenal, together with the Neighborhood Defend and the Gunners’ 1-0 win on the Emirates Stadium in October, Erling Haaland didn’t register a shot heading in the right direction.

“The 2 centre-halves had been improbable,” added Neville. “They headed every little thing away, they actually did gang up on Haaland. It was a basic one go tight and one maintain off, old school techniques.

“However that they had lots of gamers round them to allow them to try this. That they had the full-backs slender and tight, that they had the midfield compact with them.

“The 2 vast gamers tucked in and did a extremely good job, after which that they had the 2 ahead gamers, [Kai] Havertz and [Martin] Odegaard, when it was wanted as properly.”

He added: “While you’re enjoying towards a world-class participant, do not be embarrassed to suppose it’s essential to double up. I fairly commonly, when enjoying towards [Marc] Overmars or [Robert] Pires, needed to get another person with me to gang up.

“That is what [Gabriel] Jesus did. Jesus obtained [Jakub] Kiwior out of lots of hassle immediately. He was having a little bit of a troublesome recreation early on.

“Jesus was proper subsequent to him. [Bukayo] Saka subsequent to Ben White. They did a fantastic job collectively.”

Manchester Metropolis had been left to rue Nathan Ake’s close-range miss within the first half, in addition to a late alternative which noticed Haaland uncharacteristically fail to attach with the ball. However Neville however their struggles in entrance of objective all the way down to their opponents.

“I simply suppose Arsenal made it so troublesome for them. I’ve by no means seen a staff make it so troublesome for Manchester Metropolis within the last third. There did not appear to be any areas. The best way wherein Arsenal defended was fairly distinctive.”

Arsenal didn’t provide a lot by means of attacking menace on the different finish however Roy Keane agreed with Neville’s evaluation of their defensive efficiency and praised their pragmatic strategy.

“Everybody has a plan earlier than the sport however if you come to Man Metropolis, in the end you realize you will need to defend,” he stated.

“The gamers stated that they did not plan t be that deep within the second half however Man Metropolis drive you again.

“In possession I feel Arsenal in all probability wished to do a bit higher however they had been chasing the ball for lengthy intervals within the recreation. You’ll have heavy legs.

“That they had some moments. That they had two pictures heading in the right direction and Metropolis solely had one, so Arsenal will probably be happy.

“You must have a look at Metropolis as the house staff and their document, it is a extra disappointing consequence for them. You must give credit score to Arsenal.”

Keane additionally highlighted the bodily enchancment of Arteta’s staff in comparison with final season.

“Bodily, they’re lots stronger than final 12 months,” he stated. “There are undoubtedly extra athletes within the staff. They’ll take care of that fixed stress, whereas final 12 months, we noticed they could not.

“The clear sheet is nice but in addition the shortage of pictures heading in the right direction [from Man City].

“Often, if a staff comes right here and will get a consequence, you come away saying the goalkeeper was excellent, or they obtained a bit fortunate with a number of choices. However they solely had one shot heading in the right direction.”

Arteta: We’ve got made an enormous step

Arteta praised his facet for his or her dogged show, telling Sky Sports activities: “In the event you do not win, you are by no means completely satisfied completely satisfied. However I feel we now have made an enormous step. We’ve got skilled what occurred right here final 12 months and we now have come throughout differently.

“We’ve got performed lots of elements of the sport in an distinctive method and different elements of the sport the place we now have the sensation we are able to do a lot better, particularly with the ball within the first part of the build-up once we did not have sufficient composure and endurance to play extra.

“As a result of after we dedicated some massive, massive, massive conditions to have the possibility to win the sport.”

He added: “The dedication of all of the gamers, the self-discipline they’ve in all of the defensive elements. After we had been actually excessive within the pitch making an attempt to win the ball we received the ball lots. Then after they break that press we needed to monitor again, keep deep, we needed to be actually affected person and defend the field very well.

“I feel it is 2021 the final time they have not scored at residence, three years, that is a troublesome job.

“To come back to this massive place, not lots of groups have accomplished what we have accomplished immediately, and particularly when there’s a lot at stake, you need to reply and it is one other step.

“Nothing modifications. We wished to win. Sadly we all know the Liverpool consequence however we now have to hold on. Nonetheless lots to play for.”