Arsenal's Nervousness and Manchester City's Complications

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was on the sidelines at the end of the London derby against Chelsea, but it felt like he was on an extreme roller coaster at an amusement park. The Arsenal manager's experience was shared by all the home fans at the Emirates Stadium.

Six minutes of injury time felt like an hour for Arsenal. Time seemed to slow down, especially when visiting striker Alejandro Garnacho's cross sailed into the far corner. "My heart nearly stopped, but David's (Raya's) hand there brought me back to life," Arteta said.

That was a dramatic moment that nearly changed the fate of the derby at the Emirates Stadium, London, on Monday (2/3/2026) early morning WIB. Arsenal was fortunate enough to maintain a 2-1 lead in the match titled "set-piece battle." All the goals from both teams were scored from corner kicks.

Arsenal's victory was brilliant in terms of results, especially in the context of the English Premier League title race. However, there is something concerning regarding their performance. They appeared to struggle against ten Chelsea players, right after the red card incident involving Pedro Neto in the 70th minute.

In the final 20 minutes of normal time and injury time, Arsenal, despite having a numerical advantage, lost control. They only had 35 percent possession. They also only completed 56 passes, far less than Chelsea's 115. The Gunners were under immense pressure.

Interestingly, Arsenal performed much better when the match situation was still 11 versus 11. Former Arsenal striker, Ian Wright, believes that this anomaly occurred more due to psychological issues. Bukayo Saka and his teammates displayed a sense of nervousness that has often emerged in recent weeks.

"I am happy that we completed the task (in the derby), but I become nervous for the next match because I see (the issues) again. Arsenal showed nervousness and anxiety in the final stages of the match. You could almost sense Arsenal in the second half," said Wright in Premier League Productions.

The nervousness of "Si Meriam" was palpable when they had possession of the ball. With a numerical advantage, they should have been able to exploit the gaps in Chelsea's defensive system. They could have more easily executed short passing combinations to take full control of the game. However, this was not carried out.

If not addressed, the anxiety within the Arsenal camp could become a ticking time bomb. The pressure to win the championship will intensify in the last nine matches.

Arsenal's backline repeatedly sent long passes after regaining possession of the ball. In the 87th minute, for example, wing-back Jurrien Timber delivered a long pass to forward Gabriel Martinelli. However, there were much easier short pass options available to three midfielders simultaneously.

The problem, as Wright stated, is that this nervousness has repeatedly surfaced recently. This issue is also what caused them to lose points at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford. As a team that prioritizes control, they will suffer if they appear to be panicking.

In such a situation, the most anticipated player from the Arsenal camp is the Spanish midfielder, Martin Zubimendi. He should be the most skilled in controlling the tempo. However, the player's confidence has yet to return since making a blunder against Manchester United.

The burden on Arsenal's squad is indeed enormous. They must end a 22-year trophy drought after finishing runners-up for three consecutive seasons. However, "The Gunners" must start enjoying the title race if they don't want to fail for a fourth consecutive season.

The reason is that Manchester City's closest competing team appears to be very calm in the pursuit of the title. Just look at last weekend, they won quite easily against Leeds United 1-0. Although they only won by a single goal, they maintained full control in the second half once they were ahead.

If not addressed, the anxiety within the Arsenal camp could become a ticking time bomb. The pressure to win the championship will increase in the last nine matches, including against City, which continues to pursue them. "We have to enjoy it. It is an honor to be in this position, in the title race," said Timber.

City is currently five points behind Arsenal with one game in hand. Although in a chasing position, the team managed by Manager Pep Guardiola appears more convincing. They have the advantage in terms of championship experience as well as a performance trend and results that have been increasingly positive since the turn of the year.

The arrival of two new players in the January transfer window, defender Marc Guehi and forward Antoine Semenyo, is truly crucial for City. Guardiola now has additional ammunition to compete in the title race. As veterans in the league, Guehi and Semenyo immediately made an instant impact for City.

However, the resilience of the City will only be tested by the hectic schedule throughout March. Erling Haaland and his teammates must face six difficult matches across four competitions in the next 20 days. Team rotation becomes a major challenge for Guardiola.

"We only have three days (to face Nottingham Forest)," said Guardiola after the match against Leeds. "Then, we will play in the FA Cup. Thank you for scheduling us to play at 20:00 (local time) instead of 15:00. That shortens our recovery time before meeting Real Madrid," the manager remarked with a hint of sarcasm.

Guardiola will face difficulties in rotating the team in non-league matches. They are set to face Newcastle United in the fifth round of the FA Cup, Real Madrid in the round of 16 of the Champions League, and Arsenal in the final of the English League Cup. Among these, there are two league matches, namely against Forest and West Ham United.

City is set to visit West Ham's home ground on March 15, amidst their meetings with Madrid. Guardiola could potentially lose several titles at once if he makes the wrong rotation. "This is the reality we face, but you must be able to handle the situation," said Guardiola.

Arsenal will face a similar busy schedule, but they have benefited from the draw. They will only meet a team from the third division of England, Mansfield Town, in the FA Cup. In the UEFA Champions League, they are challenged by Bayer Leverkusen, which is still significantly below Madrid in terms of level.

As a result, there is no team that is truly favored to smoothly reach the finish line. Arsenal must overcome their nervousness, while City needs to untangle the issues of a congested schedule. The team that can address its respective problems has a significant potential to become the champion. (AP/REUTERS)