Mikel Arteta Determined to Prove Arsenal’s Growth Against Manchester City
Mikel Arteta is eager to show that Arsenal can rise to the occasion when they face Manchester City on Sunday.
The Arsenal manager, who once worked under Pep Guardiola at City, believes his team is prepared for their toughest test yet this season, as they head to the Etihad Stadium to face the reigning Premier League champions.
Last season, Arsenal managed to take four points from City, including a memorable 1-0 victory at the Emirates. However, despite that success, they fell short in the title race.
Arteta is keen to demonstrate that Arsenal have grown since then, and he sees Sunday’s match as the perfect opportunity to prove it.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Arteta expressed his confidence:
“We go to the home of the champions, a team that’s set the standard in this league.
We need to show we’ve taken the next step and that we can compete at their level.”
Although City will be without their talisman Kevin De Bruyne, Arteta dismissed any notion that this gives Arsenal a major advantage.
“They have so many world-class players,” he said, highlighting the likes of Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and Mateo Kovacic as capable replacements.
The Arsenal boss also stressed the importance of consistency. While his team showed defensive resilience in their recent North London derby win over Tottenham, their performance against Atalanta in the Champions League raised concerns.
Arteta acknowledged those issues, saying, “We need to be much more consistent, especially if we want to win at this level.”
For Arsenal, Sunday’s match is more than just another game—it’s a chance to prove they belong among the elite.
