Every aspect of Arsenal’s defensive work against City was brilliant.
They took risks at the right time with their high press, and got their reward with their first goal – then the same approach almost brought them another one soon afterwards too.
On both occasions, City obviously made mistakes playing out, but you have got to have the bravery to go after them and make them try to take risks, and Arsenal did that early on.
We have not always seen Arsenal do that against City in recent seasons, but it paid off this time.
When they did lose the ball, the Gunners’ recovery after the transition was incredible. The athleticism of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard was exceptional and, alongside them, Thomas Partey had an unbelievable game.
You could say the same about their whole team – everyone was at it, in terms of their commitment, but they kept their heads too.
When City started to get back into the game, later in the first half when they began dictating possession and play, Arsenal were disciplined enough to sit and defend their goal.
You cannot press and play with high energy for the full 90 minutes and Arsenal were streetwise enough not to exhaust themselves in the first half and to leave something in the tank.
Their decision-making in terms of when to press and when to drop deep, together with their willingness to do so much running without the ball, was all part of the plan – and they executed it perfectly.
