Eyes Northwest: Will Man City win out?

Will the Cityzens really go all season without dropping points?

The combination of Arsenal getting anything less than three points and Manchester City absolutely walloping a very poor Southampton side has borne exactly the take I was expecting.

It goes something like this: If City win all their games, Arsenal’s best case would be to win on goal difference, and that’s already against the Gunners. City won’t drop any other points, because City are a fleet of cyborgs more than a football club composed of human beings.

So there’s literally no margin for error.

And, of course, City will play Arsenal off the park based on the result at Anfield, so what’s really the point of trying, anyway?

Alright, the last line is an exaggeration, but it’s not uncommon to see the “I just don’t see where City will drop points, they’re too good,” opinion among Arsenal fans. It’s usually hand-in-hand with “Arsenal will draw at St. James Park and need at least a draw at the Etihad.” And all that may end up happening, but is it particularly likely? I spent some time with it this morning and wanted to share where I ended up.

City’s recent run-ins

On its day, this City side is incredibly difficult to beat, like basically every team City have fielded over the past handful of years. It’s really a matter of opinion whether the 2022-2023 side is a standout among the others. I’m of the opinion that the group at its peak could stand against most others Pep Guardiola has fielded, but that it’s also a bit more prone to wild variance than we’ve seen.

All that in mind, it’s helpful to ask the question, “How have City performed in previous run-ins?” In most cases, they were still alive in the Champions League knockouts, although under less pressure than they are under to win the competition this season.

So let’s take a look.