Opinion – Arsenal can expect one final push from Man City

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Just Arsenal News

·20 January 2026

Opinion – Arsenal can expect one final push from Man City

This time last year, Mikel Arteta publicly warned the owners that Arsenal were short in attack and required reinforcements, pleas that his employers ignored. That moment has since become a benchmark for evaluating the contrasting approaches adopted by rival clubs in pivotal periods of the title race.

Contrasting standards between rivals

The difference between the Kroenke family and those in charge at Manchester City is rooted in standards. At the Etihad, there is little tolerance for drifting away from contention. The expectation is simple: challenge for the title every season. As January arrived, those responsible in Manchester asked what Pep Guardiola required to restore momentum and give his side the best chance of lifting the trophy once more.

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The Spaniard requested a centre back to address an injury crisis. City were seven points behind Arsenal on the day Marc Guehi arrived at the Etihad. In north London, there may be hope that enough damage has already been inflicted in the title race. A similar belief existed 12 months earlier when Arsenal were six points behind Liverpool, who also had a game in hand. The lesson from Manchester is clear: they are giving the race one final push, even as many Arsenal supporters wish their rivals would retreat.

Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola (Getty Images)

Fine margins and decisive ambition

Guardiola remains a relentless competitor. Even without the strongest squad he has managed, he continues to search for solutions. He understands that his advantage lies in a core group of players accustomed to delivering under pressure in April and May. With long term injuries to Gvardiol and Stones and Dias still not fully fit, City lacked the defensive stability to mount a sustained run. In a sport where the smallest details decide success, securing an England international midway through the campaign could prove decisive.

There were even rumours that Arsenal had monitored Guehi’s contractual situation but were unwilling to pay for a player who would have been free in the summer. In hindsight, twenty million might have been worthwhile if it prevented him from strengthening a rival. Most clubs would have waited. A big club does not. A big club acts, refuses to surrender, and invests when the moment demands it.

Arsenal hesitated a year ago. Manchester City have not. In a title race defined by courage and timing, that difference may yet determine who prevails when the season reaches its conclusion.

Dan Smith

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