Manchester City and Arsenal cancel each other out in Etihad stalemate
Manchester City 0 Arsenal 0
THE real winner of the first goalless draw at the Etihad in well over two years sat a few miles across the north-west in Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool saw their lead at the top of the Premier League hold firm after their two closest rivals cancelled each other out in a game that hardly qualified as a classic.
Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta cancelled each other out as the Etihad witnessed a goalless stalemate for the first time since Southampton held City to a 0-0 in September 2021.
Against all the odds and expectations, the game failed to deliver much in the way of high quality football, let alone drama, which was perfect news for Klopp, of course.
After his side had beaten Brighton minutes before kick-off at the Etihad, a draw between Liverpool’s two main rivals was precisely the result he was looking for as the title race counts down to less than 10 games remaining.
City were contending without England pair John Stones and Kyle Walker, injured on international duty in midweek, which seemed to lead to an uncharacteristically cautious approach by Guardiola.
It was not helped by Nathan Ake picking up an injury after just 25 minutes, forcing City into a reshuffle involving substitute Rico Lewis.
Guardiola’s friend, opposite number Arteta, was also hardly in the mood to throw caution to the wind, given that a draw would have suited his side more than City.
Still, the closest to chances in the first half fell to the visitors, on the counter attack, with former City striker Gabriel Jesus twice granted a sight of goal and twice missing the target comfortably.
City might have taken a slightly flukey lead on 15 minutes, when Kevin De Bruyne’s corner struck Ake in the face, only for the ball to
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