Just get the job done, Arsenal! Mikel Arteta's men under no obligation to entertain in Man City title showdown and should feel no shame about shutting up shop at the Etihad

Everyone seems to be doing their utmost to drum up anticipation for Sunday. The Athletic have described the clash as "the biggest Premier League game in years", the BBC have labelled it a "monumental meeting", while Sky Sports have called it "title-deciding". A significant part of the job for Arsenal is not to let the pre-match hype and the magnitude of the occasion overawe them.

That's something the players seem to be acutely aware of. "It comes down to if you're going to be ready and how much do you want it. There's been a lot of noise, but, ultimately, it's down to us as players," Declan Rice said ahead of the encounter.

"It's why we're professionals. It's why we play this game and yes, to go there and win will be a massive statement. The boys are ready. We spoke as a group and we know what's required. Bring it on."

The main problem for Arsenal is, of course, that they come into the biggest game of their season in by far and away their worst form of the entire campaign, with a horribly-timed downturn leading to that old tag of 'bottle jobs' being bandied about once again and a growing disquiet among a fanbase that is absolutely desperate for them to get over the line after 22 years of agony.

Arteta's men were stunned by Bournemouth last time out in the league, an alarming result that came a week after their shock FA Cup exit at the hands of Championship side Southampton, while they lost the Carabao Cup final to Sunday's opponents just before the international break to give their title rivals a psychological edge.

The Gunners have, at least, progressed to the Champions League semi-finals, edging past unfancied Sporting CP courtesy of a goalless second-leg draw in midweek. However, the workmanlike nature of their 1-0 aggregate victory has done little to inspire any confidence that they have rediscovered the level required to beat the in-form Cityzens.

In a strange statistical quirk, April has also been Arteta's least productive month in the Arsenal dugout in terms of win percentage (44 percent), while it's Guardiola's best (79%), per Opta.

Sunday, then, is about going back to basics for Arsenal and playing to their strengths - that means being physical, using a bit of sh*thousery when necessary and maximising those all-important set-pieces.

With attacking players like Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli failing to fire on all cylinders, it would be little surprise to see Arteta shut up shop. He can at least rely on the league's staunchest defence (15 clean sheets) and the tireless Rice to help to grind out a positive result - something they achieved with a 0-0 draw back in March 2024. Indeed, it could be a game that's made for centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes to be the hero at both ends of the pitch.

It might not be pretty and it certainly isn't what the neutral will want to see from such an eagerly-awaited fixture, but, on current form, if Arsenal attempt to go toe to toe with City in an attacking sense, they will be swatted aside.

For what it's worth, Arteta is adamant his side will not park the bus at the Etihad. Whether it's a case of mind games and tactical misdirection remains to be seen. "No," he said bluntly when asked if Arsenal would play for a draw in his pre-match press conference. "We want to win the game. We are there to win the game. We haven’t talked about that [the draw]. We need to win the game. And we are preparing to win the game.

"There’s no difference to any stadium we have been to in the last five years. I’m not going to spend one second talking about that. We prepare every game to win. That’s why we are where we are and we’re going to continue to do the same. We see it as a big opportunity for us."

He continued: "We're not going to propose a game like this [parking the bus] because we never do that. Sometimes, the opponent is that good that forces you to be there, and in City's case you're going to have moments that you do the same - deep in your box for periods of time. That’s the reality."

Guardiola has already claimed "it's over" if his side fail to beat Arsenal on Sunday. A draw would keep the north Londoners six points ahead of their nearest challengers with five matches to play, and City's game in hand would diminish in importance somewhat.

The Catalan tactician is probably also alluding to each side's run-in; the Gunners hold the marginal advantage there, with all of their remaining fixtures after Sunday's showdown coming against teams in the bottom half of the Premier League table (Newcastle, Fulham, West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace).

City, meanwhile, have to face Everton and Brentford - both in the race for European football - as well as likely top-five finishers Aston Villa on the final day. As much as they have found some ominous form, it's worth remembering the Sky Blues were held by Nottingham Forest and West Ham in consecutive league games a little over a month ago.

Rice certainly isn't wrong that in his assessment that there's been plenty of "noise" in the build-up to the incredibly hotly-anticipated clash on Sunday. In light of Arsenal's recent struggles, every fan, pundit and media outlet has had their say.

Following the draw with Sporting in midweek, Arsenal icon Thierry Henry said on CBS: "Go and win at Man City. I want to see that fire there. I believe, but show it. I hope [the performance against City is] not like tonight or against Brighton, Bournemouth or Mansfield, or anything I've seen this season. This is the biggest chance in their lives not just to shut anyone down, but to prove to themselves as a team that they can."

Former Man City winger and Arsenal fan Shaun Wright-Phillips, meanwhile, urged the Gunners' creative stars to play with more freedom. "The players are being restricted," he said, via Covers.com. "Some of the squad look a shadow of their former selves, which is hard to watch. I've never known a team be top of the Premier League and receive so much criticism, but that’s down to how they’ve been coached by Mikel Arteta unfortunately."

The truth, though, is that no-one associated with the north London club will be complaining if Arsenal go to the Etihad and claim a hard-fought point, no matter how grubby the match might become as a result. Given the difficult situation they now find themselves in, there is no shame in the Gunners ignoring the gravity of the occasion and playing to their strengths to remain in the box seat for the league title. Arsenal haven't been crowd-pleasers all season, and Sunday certainly isn't the time to change that.

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