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Arsenal return to action following the international break against Southampton this evening but Man City have just ramped up the pressure yet again.
The Gunners’ first XI will be interesting to see after an international break which saw Arsenal’s squad seemingly decimated by injuries.
However, away from the injuries and the pressure already on in terms of getting over the line in the league, Man City have just shown they are going nowhere.
And that, in a nutshell, ramps things up further for the Gunners.
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Credit: Getty/Images/Catherine Ivill – AMA/PETER POWELL/AFP/Carl Recine/David Price/Arsenal FC Arsenal have to deliver after Man City hammer Liverpool
A game against Southampton would appear, on paper anyway, the ideal game for Arsenal to ease back into things in the FA Cup.
However, with City running Liverpool ragged and showing why they’ve been so successful at this stage of the season over the years, Arsenal now know they need to deliver.
It’s now become a case of not just winning against the Saints tonight but winning in style. Arsenal need to avoid any more narrative building to distract them from their goals.
That narrative, should Arsenal either lose or struggle against Southampton, will be about how the team are already feeling the heat while City, meanwhile, gather momentum.
Mikel Arteta has made a habit this season of simply ensuring his team get the job done. And on one hand, that is what needs to happen between now and the end of the season.
Photo by Alexander Hassenstein – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
But with City beating the Gunners in the cup final and now seeing off Liverpool with considerable ease, it’s added a new feeling to the entire situation.
Should Arsenal not get it done against Southampton, public opinion will start to turn. The narrative will indeed become about Arsenal ‘bottling it’ and then all eyes will be on if City can A. Beat Arsenal when they meet in a few weeks and B. Win their game in hand.
Should both of those things happen and Arsenal crash out of the FA Cup, then Mikel Arteta will be faced with managing yet another tense period.
With that in mind, it’s imperative Arsenal do the business tonight. If not, then it’s time to dig deep and get ready for the ride.
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