For Arsenal, the frustration is doubly acute. While Arteta was distraught in the aftermath of City’s 98th-minute equaliser at the Etihad last month, he could at least clutch at the mitigation of playing the second half with 10 men. This time his side stayed the course intact, only for the injuries to his back four to take a cumulative toll.
As if Martin Odegaard’s absence is not grievous enough, Gabriel Magalhaes’s suspected knee ligament damage threatens to hole their challenge below the waterline.
Arteta was reminded of the old maxim that, although you could not win a title inside the first 10 games, you could assuredly lose one. He responded with a savage look that suggested he wanted to turn his inquisitor to stone.
Having learnt at the feet of Guardiola, he has proved himself an exemplary manager, but when faced with the ultimate challenge – outwitting his former manager over a full nine months – he seems fated to fall short. The post-match accusation by Jamie Carragher that he is less the heir to Guardiola than an imitator of Jose Mourinho will cut deeply.
Liverpool appear the likelier to ruffle Guardiola
On reflection, Carragher makes a cogent point. The manner in which Arsenal sat back against Liverpool after going ahead for a second time, playing keep-ball in the corners rather than staying true to their attacking instincts, was unmistakably Mourinho-esque. So, too, was the claim this invited from the opposing manager that they had simply been wasting time. Arne Slot, normally a peaceable soul, shouted “this is a f------ joke” to his centre-back Ibrahima Konate after seeing one of Arteta’s players on the ground once too often.
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