Five tables show why Arsenal should fear Man City resurgence | OneFootball

Arsenal are top of the actual table – but these standings prove why the Gunners would be right to be wary while Manchester City sniff blood…

Not long ago, Arsenal were heavy favourites for the title but, though they remain the most-fancied, City are looking ominous.

Having reduced the Gunners’ advantage to just two points, Pep Guardiola’s side are starting to motor, just ahead of January, when history tells us is the time they put their foot to the floor.

We’ve got five tables to suggest that Arsenal should be worried. Very worried…

City building momentum before New Year assault

Let’s begin with a simple one: the form table.

Ok, City are only second here, behind a Villa side who themselves are making Arsenal check their shoulder. But the difference in recent form highlights how City have recovered from a start that saw them win only two of their first five.

Perhaps a dip was inevitable given their weird summer when they had to take part in the FIFA Club World Cup. But City seem to have come through that, winning five of their last six and nine of their last 11 to reduce what was a six-point deficit to Arsenal to one that can be overturned in a weekend.

City most creative even with less possession

Of course, it helps to have a truly ridiculous striker like Erling Haaland in your ranks. But City still have to create the opportunities for their Norwegian goalbot.

The Big Chances table highlights how well City have serviced Haaland and their other forwards.

It also shows an improvement from last season when they finished fourth in this metric, creating 2.39 big chances per game.

Just as impressively, City have also been more creative with less possession than we are used to them having. They are currently fourth in the possession table on 57.2%, having topped it in the last nine seasons with an average of 65.7% possession.

City bucking set-piece trend

Much of Arsenal’s early-season success has been built on set-pieces. City, though, are doing it differently…

Pep’s men have scored more than double the number of goals in open play than all but six Premier League rivals and 13 more than Arsenal.

There is no wrong way to score goals, but one feels more sustainable than the other…

City best against better teams

Arsenal, as leaders of the table versus bottom-half opposition with nine wins out of nine, would dispute the notion that they are flat-track bullies. But City topping the table against top-half opposition feels more significant.

Against top-to-tenth sides, Arsenal have lost as many games as they have won, while beating Palace on Sunday saw City record their fifth such victory of the campaign.

As City go through the gears, it seems simpler for them to improve against the weaker opponents than for Arsenal to pick up against their peers.

City wasting little time

City seem to be getting the job done with a minimum of fuss compared to previous seasons. They are happier to go direct; they don’t need as much possession; and they don’t f*** about when it comes to crushing the hopes of their opponents.

Where no club was better than Arsenal in the first half of matches last season, this term it is City who are blowing teams away inside the first 45 minutes. Though it got dicey against Leeds.