Manchester City sustained a huge blow in their quest of protecting the Premier League title after losing 2-0 against Arsenal. The Etihad Stadium was the stage for Manchester City and Arsenal to face off in a match that had many things at risk.
Arsenal wanted to claim a victory in order to keep their hopes of snatching a Champions League spot alive meanwhile Manchester City needed to triumph for the sake of maintaining a close distance with the leaders of the Premier League, Chelsea.
The hosts enjoyed having more than 60% of possession but it wasn’t enough as Arsenal clinched the victory thanks to a penalty kick from SantiCazorla and a header from Olivier Giroud.
This result has allowed Chelsea to get some breathing space at the top of the English League but their advantage could be even bigger if they defeat Manchester City on the upcoming Premier League match.
Manuel Pellegrini and his squad failed on defeating Arsenal but their next match is scheduled to be played on January 31 when they lock horns with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and another loss could be enough for Chelsea to enjoy a smooth ride for the rest of the season before they claim the Premier League.
The Chilean manager of Manchester City is well aware of the importance that this match as he told the media that his team will bounce back.
“We still have to play against Chelsea so it will be a very decisive game. We will try to win that game to close that gap again. The game we must play at Stamford Bridge is a very important game. We must close the gap to two points. I hope we are going to recover and play the way we are playing so far,” Manchester City’s Manuel Pellegrini said.