. “I don’t want to go through that again because we knew after that it was going to be very difficult, something that we fought for that many months. It was a different timing as well.”-MIKEL ARTETA reveals fear Ahead of Trip to Man City.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta emphasized his determination to steer clear of another significant loss against Manchester City as they prepare to clash on Sunday.

The Gunners have a chance to bolster their title aspirations with a victory at the Etihad Stadium, although they are mindful of the pivotal role this fixture played in their downfall last season.

In April 2023, Arteta’s side suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat to City, a result that ultimately saw them relinquish their top position to Pep Guardiola’s team after spending 248 days at the summit.

Reflecting on this humbling defeat during a pre-match press conference, Arteta expressed his aversion to reliving such an experience, highlighting the immense difficulty they faced thereafter, compounded by the timing of the loss.

While a win on Sunday could propel Arsenal three points ahead of Liverpool and four points clear of City, they also face the prospect of slipping to third place depending on other results. Despite City’s impressive resurgence to clinch last season’s title, they remain the frontrunners in this year’s race, a status Arteta believes they have rightfully earned through consistent performances over the past seven or eight years.

Acknowledging City’s dominance, Arteta stressed the importance of Arsenal proving themselves as worthy contenders. He emphasized the need for his team to demonstrate the belief and resilience necessary to challenge formidable opponents like City and Liverpool.

Arteta underlined the importance of adopting versatile strategies to achieve success, acknowledging that City’s mindset and confidence make them formidable opponents, but also expressing confidence in his own team’s ability to rise to the occasion.