Arteta defends Manchester City’s poor run of form | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta believes Manchester City have deserved more wins than they’ve picked up in recent weeks, with Pep Guardiola’s side now on a six-game winless streak.

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Manchester City have had some impactful injuries in recent weeks, perhaps contributing to a run of five defeats and one draw.

Even that one draw must have felt like a loss, with City leading 3-0 before being pegged back by Feyenoord for 3-3 in front of their home fans at the Etihad Stadium.

With players now returning, Mikel Arteta was asked whether he expects Pep Guardiola’s side to go on a run. But the Arsenal boss responded that City have deserved more than they’ve got even with some players out.

“Even with those injuries, they deserved to win every game,” Arteta said. “It’s simple, you look at all the stats and everything that they do, they’re always better than the opposition. They deserve to win the games.

“This is football. They deserve, but you don’t win it. Okay, it’s for a reason, but…”

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As for what he’s made of City’s form more generally, Arteta suggested that the only strange thing about this blip is that it’s taken this long for the team to have one.

“What I’ve made of it is what they’ve done for nine years. I think that’s what people have to talk about – how difficult it is what they’ve done for nine years consistently,” Arteta added.

“A bump, everybody has a bump. For them it’s very strange because in nine years they never had it. That tells you as well the level and environment that we’re in, that everything has to go almost perfect.

“The performance has to be perfect, the ability of your squad has to be perfect, things have to go your way. The level of the opposition is different and it’s so hard to win.”

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From an Arsenal point of view, it would be nice if City picked themselves up a little bit ahead of Sunday’s game away to Liverpool.

Given the current gap between the Gunners and Arne Slot’s side, someone needs to start taking points off the league leaders, even if it’s Manchester City. A draw would be ideal.