Arsenal pulled off a thrilling 5-1 victory over Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, with a sensational second-half performance that left fans buzzing.
However, while the Gunners displayed incredible intent and skill after the break, football pundit Gary Neville couldn’t help but feel frustrated by their slow start in the match.
The Slow Start and Haaland’s Equalizer
The match began with an electric atmosphere at the Emirates, as Martin Ødegaard quickly put Arsenal ahead in the second minute, giving the home side an early lead.
Despite this promising start, Arsenal allowed City to find their rhythm, and after half-time, the reigning champions equalized through Erling Haaland, sending the Gunners’ fans into a brief moment of nervousness.
The Turning Point and Arsenal’s Dominant Finish
But it was Haaland’s goal that seemed to spark Arsenal into life.
Within a minute of conceding, Thomas Partey restored their lead, and the floodgates opened.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, Kai Havertz, and Ethan Nwaneri all found the back of the net in a scintillating 30-minute spell that sealed the 5-1 victory.
Gary Neville’s Frustration With Arsenal’s Slow Start
Despite the dominant finish, Gary Neville, speaking on his podcast, questioned why Arsenal had to wait for Haaland’s equalizer to start playing with such intensity.
“They frustrated me for large parts of that match,” Neville admitted.
He noted that Arsenal seemed to let the game “drift” while 1-0 up, allowing City to control possession and dictate the pace.
The Key to Arsenal’s Performance
Neville also pointed out that after conceding, Arsenal showed what they’re truly capable of when they played with purpose and determination.
“What Arsenal demonstrated after conceding the Haaland goal is what they’re capable of,” he said.
“What does it need an Erling Haaland goal for them to get to a level they can get to, where players are running forward with real intent?”
A Call for Consistency Moving Forward
Neville’s frustration was clear, urging Mikel Arteta’s side not to wait for setbacks to inspire their best performances.
“Don’t wait, you’ve got 14 games to go,” Neville insisted. “All of a sudden, there was a spring in their step, they livened up.”
He emphasized that the Gunners must now maintain the level they demonstrated in the final half hour of the game moving forward.
“Mikel Arteta should be reinforcing that now for the next 10 days,” he concluded.
The Road Ahead for Arsenal
With the win, Arsenal made a significant statement in the Premier League, but Neville’s comments serve as a reminder that they’ll need to find that level of intensity right from the start in their upcoming matches if they want to maintain their push for the title.
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