{"id":7359,"date":"2026-04-20T07:02:47","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T07:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=7359"},"modified":"2026-04-20T07:02:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T07:02:47","slug":"gary-neville-names-one-crucial-mistake-arsenal-made-in-man-city-defeat-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=7359","title":{"rendered":"Gary Neville names one crucial mistake Arsenal made in Man City defeat | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Arsenal suffered a huge setback at Manchester City on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gary Neville felt Arsenal were \u2018really good\u2019 in defeat to Manchester City on Sunday, but one lapse cost them in the crunch game in the title race.<\/p>\n

Pep Guardiola\u2019s side won the game 2-1 thanks to goals from Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland either side of a Kai Havertz equaliser.<\/p>\n

It was a thoroughly entertaining contest as both teams played with energy and intent, while the stakes were incredibly high at the top of the table.<\/p>\n

Arsenal came up short and Neville points to one moment in the build-up to the home side\u2019s second goal which he believes cost them in an otherwise impressive performance in dealing with Manchester City.<\/p>\n

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, he said: \u2018The one mistake\u2026on the goal where Manchester city counter-attack. What Arsenal did brilliantly in the first half was all push up together when Manchester City had the ball deep with Donnarumma or the centre-backs.<\/p>\n

\u2018When they counter-attack they all get back really quickly and sunk in. I don\u2019t know what went wrong, but Donnarumma plays a ball for the goal, he throws it, and it goes in between maybe Martinelli and Havertz on this side and all of a sudden there was acres of space. Why?<\/p>\n

\u2018That shouldn\u2019t happen. Something\u2019s gone fundamentally wrong.<\/p>\n

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“They’re not really set” \ud83d\ude33Roy Keane breaks down what went wrong for Arsenal in the build-up to Erling Haaland’s goal \ud83d\udc47 pic.twitter.com\/9vkT4Szc0w<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 19, 2026<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

\u2018Either the back four haven\u2019t pushed in and made it all compact high up the pitch with the forward players or the forward players have gone too high. I would say probably the midfield players and back players haven\u2019t pushed in. In the first half, if you remember, Gabriel was pressing on the edge of the 18 yard box at one point.<\/p>\n

\u2018Arsenal\u2019s fatigue, maybe, and City wearing them out means that they\u2019ve probably just not done the full press like they were in the first half. Half of them have gone and half of them have stayed back and that\u2019s when you get big gaps from front to back<\/p>\n

\u2018That was the mistake I think they made on the goal when they\u2019re counter-attacking and Haaland gets that goal.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Erling Haaland scored Manchester City\u2019s winner (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018That was a disappointing one because they really did work that defensively well. They either went full press or they all went back and defended deep. They got stuck in between, half and half.\u2019<\/p>\n

The tactical error was also spotted by Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira in the Sky Sports studio, but both pointed the finger at Arsenal\u2019s Gabriel Martinelli for pressing too high and too early, leaving the space behind him.<\/p>\n

\u2018Martinelli helps the goalkeeper by pressing too early, they\u2019re not really set,\u2019 said Keane. \u2018And they don\u2019t need to go chasing the game. Martinelli doesn\u2019t have to press there and, if anything, it encourages the goalkeeper to throw it out.\u2019<\/p>\n

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His old rival said: \u2018I completely agree. Even when Donnarumma gets the ball in his hand there\u2019s a huge space between the Arsenal back four and the front players, a huge space that Arsenal wasn\u2019t ready to put pressure.\u2019<\/p>\n

Neville may have pointed to one tactical mistake over the game, but Arsenal also missed chances to score which will haunt them if they do not win the Premier League title.<\/p>\n

Mikel Arteta\u2019s men remain top of the table, but maybe not for much longer as Manchester City can leapfrog them with a win at Burnley on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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Kai Havertz missed two great chances (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018They weren\u2019t ruthless today, because I think the performance was there,\u2019 said Neville. \u2018That\u2019s as good as you\u2019ll see a team come and play at Manchester City. They were really good, however, they\u2019ve missed three or four big chances.<\/p>\n

\u2018Havertz misses the one-on-one when Donnarumma comes out, [Eberchi] Eze\u2019s one off the post, then you\u2019ve got the Gabriel header and the Havertz header at the end. Three or four massive chances. <\/p>\n

\u2018If you said you\u2019re going to get three or four chances like that against Manchester City here, you have to take one of them! They\u2019ve not been ruthless and taken it.\u2019<\/p>\n

The title race is still very much on as victory for City at Turf Moor would only put them level on points with Arsenal, but ahead on goal difference or goals scored.<\/p>\n

Then would come a sprint finish with five games to go and neither team able to afford a mistake.<\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Teddy Sheringham insists Marcus Rashford \u2018did not deserve\u2019 move from Man Utd to Barcelona<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: \u2018Best player in that league\u2019: Former Chelsea star urged to make Man Utd move<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Gary Neville says Mikel Arteta was \u2018hampered enormously\u2019 by two Arsenal stars in Man City defeat<\/span><\/p>\n
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