Arsenal’s victory over Man City has so much significance

Eight games, won six, lost twice. That has been Arsenal’s record since the much reviewed mid-January win at the Etihad over the champions City and while that may lead to a deduction of good form, no Arsenal supporter, at the moment, will be willing to go through that game with you with as much glee.

Indeed, the team’s form in the league has very impressively improved following that win having moved from fifth at the time to third. However, whilst that game may have raised hopes of a welcome new era in Arsene Wenger’s tactics for the big occasions, it has not taken too long within a month after to see his old self manifest again.

Losing to Spurs was a soft reminder of his weaknesses but defeat to Monaco lay all the facts bare on the table and, for many, the man could do no worse now.

Ultimately, it has thrown open the suggestion that the strategy of that victory against a likewise stubborn/naïve/inflexible (delete where applicable) Manuel Pellegrini was more of a one-off. This claim is now more solidified by the manner with which teams have seemed to pick City out since then, the champions were outperformed by Middlesbrough after Arsenal and by Liverpool few days ago.

What’s more, the four points now separate both Arsenal and City, and while that may be claimed to be the close competition in the top four, a look at the team at the top – five points clear of second with one game in hand – really does show that the chasing pack have been in one big pool of mediocrity this season.

Yet, there is still good reason to have belief that a victory of such magnitude will have a huge say in the Gunners’ season as we count down the last 14 weeks of the season. Arsenal will have tough assignments in the coming weeks and another look into the scheme that paid off at the Etihad may be required for that crunch FA Cup tie at the other side of Manchester.

It cannot be underrated what an Arsenal win at Old Trafford will mean in this particular season; it could see Untied effectively broken in their chase for the top four; whoever scores the winning goal that day could become more of a legend than Sylvain Wiltord.

If such inspiration were to come, the win at City would prove more than significant.