Arsenal fell to yet another away defeat against a big six side vs. Manchester City this evening. The figures are pretty damning for the Gunners.
The North London side are on the up under Mikel Arteta, few would argue against that, but a trip to the Etihad was a bridge too far, with Pep Guardiola’s men winning 1-0 on the night.
While a defeat away against a side of City’s calibre is no tragedy in itself, when you look at the bigger picture, it’s just the latest in a long line of shortfalls for Arsenal.
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As shown by this below stat from ESPN, Arsenal have not defeated a traditional ‘big six’ side away from home in the Premier League for over five years. Palace, on the other hand…
It’s Arteta’s biggest challenge, getting that first win on the board. Turning Arsenal into a side that clubs will fear when they pay them a visit, it’s going to take a lot longer than a few months.
But – considering how much he has changed and improved the side so far – you wouldn’t put it past him.