Mikel Arteta has made a bold promise to end his Manchester City curse when Pep Guardiola comes to the Emirates Stadium this weekend. Arsenal's dismal record against the champions has seen them lose an astonishing 15 out of their last 16 matches, including 12 consecutive Premier League fixtures.
Although Arteta has only managed to defeat City once before, in the 2020 FA Cup final, he did manage to triumph over his former club in the Community Shield just two months ago. City have undoubtedly been a thorn in the Gunners' side in recent years, with only eight losses out of a possible 38 games since the club's takeover in 2008.
However, Arteta is optimistic that this Sunday's highly anticipated Premier League clash will bring an end to their losing streak. Prior to the game, the Spanish manager mentioned previous difficult spells against Manchester United and Chelsea, which are now distant memories.
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"We can change it," Arteta declared with determination. "When I arrived here, we had endured many years of disappointment at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, but we overcame those challenges. So let's change our fortunes against City. I acknowledge the opponent's exceptional abilities, there's no doubt about that.
"For this Sunday, our sole focus is on delivering our best performance for the entire 100 minutes. That's the only aspect we can control and concentrate on, as the rest is beyond our reach."
In addition, Arteta dismissed suggestions that he would devise a special plan solely to counter City's talisman, Erling Haaland. Despite the Norwegian sensation causing havoc among Premier League defenses with his remarkable record of 44 goals in 42 top-flight games, his recent goalless appearances serve as a reminder that he too is human.
"Our approach in preparing for this game is consistent with how we strategize against any other opponent," asserted Arteta. "We discuss the opponent's quality and how we can neutralize their threats, just like we do with every team. We then proceed with individual preparations for our players, ensuring they understand the challenges they will be facing. There will be no deviation from our usual methods for this particular match."
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