Mikel Arteta served up a defensive masterclass as Arsenal frustrated Manchester City at the Etihad.
The much-anticipated battle between the teams that started the day third and first failed to live up to expectations, although the Gunners will be the happier of the sides having kept Pep Guardiola’s men at arm’s length for much of a sterile encounter.
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The big winners on the day were Liverpool, who now sit two points clear of Arsenal following their win over Brighton earlier in the day. City stay third, three points off the pace.
The first half was a cagey affair surprisingly low on quality and goalmouth action.
Gabriel Jesus had Arsenal’s best moments, firing wide twice while Nathan Ake ought to have scored at the other end only to fail to get decent contact on a close-range header.
The second half provided much of the same with City dominating the ball but creating little. Arsenal were happy to sit in their shape and play on the counter.
It was an approach that nearly reaped its reward after 52 minutes when Bukayo Saka escaped down the right but his cross was inches too far in front of the lunging Jesus at the far post.
FULL-TIME | Nothing to separate the two sides today.
🩵 0-0 🔴 #ManCity | @okx pic.twitter.com/Y8xemMRXrw
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 31, 2024
Pep Guardiola tried to spark some life into his side by introducing Jeremy Doku and the returning Jack Grealish but Arsenal’s defence, in which Gabriel and William Saliba were magnificent against Erling Haaland, offered up little encouragement.
On the one occasion the Norway striker did get clear he totally fluffed his lines, missing the ball completely at the far post after Josko Gvardiol had risen to flick on a right-wing corner.
Arsenal might even have won it late on, Martin Odegaard playing in substitute Leandro Trossard but his shot was parried clear by Stefan Ortega in the City goal.
