Arsenal put in 'statement' performance to go six points clear | Sunday Supplement

It's the best they've played for a little while.I've seen quite a few of their games lately.That first half was as good as Arsenal have been.Ghiocchi looked a top striker, he really did.Having Saka back is huge.Lewis Skelly was immense coming into that midfield.

It certainly helps if you've got Declan Rice alongside you.They don't concede a goal.couldn't have gone better.And 3 -0, you could argue they could have pushed on in the second half, maybe try to get that numerical advantage over City with the goal difference or the goal scored or whatever.But apart from that, and you know, they will know that City have got to go to Everton on Monday night, which is always a difficult game, and they can't afford to slip up now.You know, it's a It's a match play, isn't it, basically?

You've got to match what the other guy's doing to win the hole.Or beat what the other guy's doing to win the hole, sorry.And that's where they are.City cannot afford to slip up on Monday night.So it's a lot of pressure for them.

Jack, Martin mentioned Victor Jocarez there.In the Sunday Telegraph, Sam Wallace, who was at the Emirates, says Saka return helps Arsenal rediscover their swagger.And for Jocarez, it was a triumphant afternoon, featuring a return to the team in the Premier League, having lost his place to Kai Havertz, and two first -half goals.For all the criticism that he's received since he's arrived at Arsenal, it's 21 goals now in all competitions.And in particular, the second half of the season, the goals are starting to go in.Are we seeing the player that Arsenal paid all that money for in the summer?

I think so, yeah.I think with Xhaka Reyes there's an acceptance that he's maybe not always, he's not going to be the most easy on the eye centre -forward, right?And I think that when he, at the first half of the season, he did look a bitclunky.I think people thought he slowed Arsenal down or didn't really offer enough in possession.But I think in the last few weeks, he's proved that he can be a handful, he can score goals, he can make life difficult for defenders.

You know, people have been saying for years, haven't they, Arsenal needed, well, what they really need is a good old -fashioned number nine, and they've got one.And I think finally, they're starting to see a bit of upside for that money that they spent.I think that I think there's a bit of a gap between the attacking options that Arsenal have and that Manchester City have, I think that's clear.But I think that...The combination of players they have and if they have, for example, Saka playing as well as he did yesterday, that was probably Saka's best performance this season.I think they have got enough different ways of scoring goals, particularly with Djokovic being a mischief up front, being a nuisance for defenders.

So I think that will stand them in really good stead going into the last three Premier League games of the season.Charlie, you were at the Emirates.

Alison Rudd from the Sunday Times was at the Emirates as well.Her line in her piece is interesting.Arsenal consigned their infamous nerves to the dustbin to stretch their lead to six points over Manchester City and make sure as much as they can that they do not lose the title because of lack of goals scored.And in your paper, Simon Collings who's done the piece for Arsenal.the sun on Sunday.Mikel Arteta may end up being right all along and the final part of Arsenal's title charge could be plenty of fun for Gunners fans.

It's not something that we have been talking about before because the noise around Arsenal has centred around the so -called nerves emanating at the Emirates.What did you detect yesterday?Did you detect something that was completely at odds to what we've been experiencing in the past few weeks?

Yeah, it was a bit of fun.You know, first 25 minutes and fun is not a word I think any of us are really associated with Arsenal recently.It's nerves, as you've just said.But yeah, the crowds were able to relax, but of course there are a lot ofbecause, you know, Arsenal were in control from the start.They scored early on.

Fulham were terrible.They were absolutely abysmal.They were the worst team, pretty much the worst team I've seen at the Emirates this season, which is obviously a huge surprise because they're going for Europe, having a brilliant season.And I thought it'd be a real test, a massive test for Arsenal yesterday.And it was anything but.And, you know, I agree with Martin, it was the best they've played for a while.

a long time, probably one of the best this season, but they were allowed to play well.That will have helped the Arsenal fans.They're in a great position again.With Jokerege, he's untidy.Sometimes you could argue Arsenal are more pleasing on the eye when Havertz is there.The reason that Arsenal signed Jokerege was that with Havertz and Gabriel Sissou, they were missing something.

Joker, a couple of decent goals, brilliant play to set up Saka.I think the last few months he's settled in.I don't think we should understate the effect getting Sweden to the World Cup.has had on him.He scored a hat -trick to get them to the final, scored an 88th minute winner to get them to the World Cup.And he has looked sharper in the last few weeks.

He's still had a couple of bad games where Arsenal fans have been...

Do you think maybe Flick has switched then for him?

I think to a degree.He's still had a couple of poor games where Arsenal fans have once again been moaning massively about him.But he's added something to the team.He's yesterday he helped win the game at Everton a few weeks ago, although Max Dowman scored the second goal which we all spoke about.He was an 89th minute winner effectively from Jokeregen, he scored a penalty at Everton.So he has made the difference in some matches for Arsenal.

I think as well that if Arsenal end up winning the league on goals scored, if Arsenal wineven to win it on goal difference or whatever, if goals are a factor in you winning the league, then you can't really... criticise the centre forward because the centre forward will have been such a huge part of that.If you think of Manchester United losing the league title to Manchester City that time, well you can almost directly attribute that to Cristiano Ronaldo not being there because no team that Cristiano Ronaldo plays or ever loses on goal scored or goal difference or whatever because he scores so many.So Djokovic is there.If they win it by that sort of margin, that very, very narrow margin where the points are the same and the goals are going to be the difference, well, he's above reproach really.I look at him sometimes against Atlético in the week, there was one moment where they broke away and it's like he's running through sand all of a sudden and the Madrid guy just chases him down and takes it off him and it's all very easy.

And you're thinking if that was Haaland, the physical challenge, the pace, everything would have been different.And yet, 21 goals in your first season in the Premier League, I know he's played in English football, The rest of English football is different to the Premier League.First season in the Premier League, 21 goals.It's very, very hard to make the case against him.

Do you think maybe, psychologically, what happened at Brighton and the fact that he wasn't able to make an impact?I know he played for Coventry and did well, but do you think maybe that there was a few scars there?

Yeah, without a doubt.He comes in and people go, oh, it's great, he comes in with something to prove.You know, it doesn't always work the same when everybody does it the same.to prove argument.And also, at the start, it didn't really click.I think he had that game against Leeds, didn't he?

where he made a big impact, but it wasn't really clicking.And people said, oh, it doesn't solve the problem.I'm pretty sure it didn't.They haven't solved the problem.They still need a shot.You see Julian Alvarez in the week and you're thinking, yeah, I can see why they want this guy.

But at the same time, you think, this is a first season.If his second season's better than this, then that's a great season.

The other criticism, Jack, that I guess has been directed towards Jocares is if you look at who he's scoring against, I think it's only Bournemouth in the top ten and Fulham yesterday that he scored against in that top ten.Does that actually matter?Because in previous seasons, that might have been what Arsenal had been missing, scoring against these teams who maybe have a low block and you can't get through them.

No, I don't think it matters at all.I think that...I think what he needs to do is really to be able to score goals that his other teammates can't do, and to score goals in games where Arsenal can't just rip through the opposition.They need someone who can score those kind of ugly goals, dirty goals, scrappy goals.I think, in that sense, the player who I think he might remind me a little bit of is when City signed Aiden Jeko from Wolfsburg in 2011.Jeko was not as easy on the eye as some of City's other attacking players at that point, was never... didn't have that same kind of world -class aura that Sergio Aguero had.

But Dzeko had a really, just a really good knack of knowing where the ball was going to bounce in the box and being able to stick out a long leg and divert it into the net.And sometimes, you know, the ball would go in off his shin or his shoulder or whatever, but they all count.And I think that, actually, if you're a team who wants to play possession football and dominate the opponent and create a lot ofchances, there's actually a lot to be said for having that kind of maybe slightly more agricultural looking goal scorer, who can score all those sorts of goals.And maybe if I was making the kind of positive case for Djokovic, I'd say that if he can prove that he can continue to score those kind of goals, he could be equivalent to what Aiden Jacko brought to City.

And the other thing is that on Tuesday, If it's level, an Arsenal get a penalty with 10 minutes to go.There's only one player you want taking a penalty and that's Victor Jokrege.27 penalties in a row he's scored.Recently when he hits a penalty, the keeper doesn't even see the ball.There's no Penenka, there's no Siddy Stutter.He just well is it.

Charlie, just generally on Arsenal, I just want to give you a quote from George Simms' piece from The Observer.He was at the Emirates as well.It is more intense for Arsenal.Every action seemingly a referendum on their value and ability, their masculinity and minds.The brain is designed to chase, not lead, yet they have led for the vast majority of this season.Look, I see you at every single Mikel Arteta news conference.

It's clear he has the talent.a certain messaging before he goes in to these news conferences, but what have you made, particularly in the last four or five weeks, of his approach when it comes to addressing the media and the impact it might have on his players and the fans as well?

Well, I thought he was in a bit of a mood on Friday.I think you'd probably agree with it.He was in a strange mood.Normally, I think Arteta speaks better when they've had a defeat.And when they're doing quite well, that's when he's quite closed.He can be hard work at times.

A couple of weeks ago, we had the slightly strange press conference when he was saying that he was on fire.And then he changed that, so he wanted the stadium to be on fire.Then it emerged that he'd actually lit a bonfire for the players at the training ground, just to get that message across, burning desire and all that.Yeah, it will be interesting what he's like tomorrow.He's going to be speaking after Simeone tomorrow evening, which is quite unusual.But yeah, I imagine because they had a really good result yesterday, it'll probably be quite hard work.

Do you think that the stuff that Arteta does and says, do you think that is helping to relieve the pressure and take the pressure away from the players, or do you think it's helping to contribute to that pressure?

I think at times it still contributes to the pressure.because there have been many times Arsenal are playing under pressure, aren't they?You could argue, well, you know, it's the nerves that the fans don't help, but I still believe that sometimes a team can help ease the pressure with the supporters, and they've not always done that.But look, they're still in the brilliant position, aren't they?Six points, clear, obviously, City have got those games to play.Arsenal would have settled for this at the start of the season, I think, on the second leg of a semi -final, and the gap at the top.

Could be the greatest season in Arsenal's history.Yeah.I mean, this is the thing that there's been all these doubts and everything about them.But, you know, if they were to pull this off, it would be the greatest season in Arsenal's history.Winning the Champions League, which they've never won, to win the title in the same season.Just absolutely incredible.

And I think with Arteta and what he says, we can all read stuff into it, but in the end, it's the result, isn't it?You know what I mean?If you win, everything you do was a stroke of genius.And if you lose, everything you did was wrong.And that's always been the way.

And the thing is, there's been so much focus, understandably really, on the league.And you can't say it's sort of, you know, appeared from nowhere that they're Champions League form because of the semi -finals.But I think Arsenal fans are prioritising the league.But to win the Champions League, you know, they've only ever reached one final, haven't they?That was 20 years ago.It would be remarkable, even if City, you know, won the Premier League, to win the Champions League.

You know, people outside England, I think, would find it strange that Arsenal would prioritise the league.when they haven't won the Champions League before.That'd be incredible.For me, that's still a bigger achievement to win the Champions League.

So it's over to City, Jack, tomorrow at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, of course.And this is against the backdrop, and we've been talking about it probably since the summer.and Pep Guardiola's future.The back page of the Sunday Mirror says, definitely maybe Pep.Oasis star Liam Gallagher tells City's fans to roll with it.Liam calls for calm over Guardiola quit fear.

So he's kind of saying, to quote here, that he won't be sliding away this summer.But depending on what happens in this title race, do you think that's going to have ramifications on Pep's future?Or will the mind be made up regardless?

I'm not sure.I think that...I always assumed that Pep would want to leave City on a high.And I think that probably, in my mind at least, meant leaving with another Champions League.I'm sure he would absolutely love to win another one of those and then say goodbye, you know, to secure his legacy.I'm sure he's very conscious of the fact that he's not really won enough Champions Leagues, given that he has.

like, the best and most dominant teams in Europe in the club game for the last 15 years now.I think maybe if they won the league, I think he might be likelier to go, perhaps, because, again, he'd feel like he'd won back the title, having lost it to Liverpool last season.He could also probably feel like he would be handing over a really good and competitive team to his rivals.Sorry, to his successor, which, of course, is what Klopp did when he handed over to Slott in 2024.So I think that's probably how I read it, although it will probably also just be down to what Guardiola wants, what he feels, his energy levels, whether he thinks he can go one more time.

Yeah, I mean I should just say a good morning to Liam Gallagher because he did respond on social media last week.I can't say exactly what he said but suffice to say he thought that myself and the panel were talking rubbish and we'll just leave it at that.

I just love this sentence that you just read out there, Liam Gallagher calls for calm.I think that's when you know really you're reaching as far as a story is concerned.When you find yourself typing the line, Liam Gallagher called for calm last night.

Let me just direct you very quickly to the Sunday Express with regard to Manchester City and they've done a piece which is based on an interview, I think, with Mark Gahey.It's Simon Bojowski, Jack, and it's all about Bernardo Silva.We've seen when a big player leaves Manchester City before and Pep Guardiola has got very, very emotional.We can't replace him, his famous quote, when Sergio Aguero left.They did end up replacing him.with Erling Haaland, of course, but if he was to say we can't replace Bernardo Silva, is that almost much, much harder than it was when they tried to replace Aguero?

Yeah, maybe.I mean, I think that Bernardo Silva is such a unique player, not justin the fact that he's now been at City for nine years, but in terms of the range of different positions he can play, the way that he marries incredible athleticism, competitiveness, technical skill, game intelligence.City, you're not going to find many players like him on the market.And if you do, they're not going to play for you for the best part of nine years and be the captain and win as many trophies as possible.as Bernardo has done.

So, no, they're not going to...You can't find anyone else like him.But the one thing that City have been really good at, I think, throughout the Guardiola era, is moving on really big names and just being fine.They've lost Aguero, Kompany, Davidsilva, Fernandinho, all these great players have...Kevin De Bruyne has obviously gone now.All these great players have been and gone, and City have managed to find a way to keep winning, even if you can't replace the individual players themselves.

Before yesterday, Martin, just before we go to a break, before yesterday, I think a lot of people were still favouring City maybe, and suddenly a result on a performance like that has started to change people's minds.Where would you say the destiny of the title lies at the moment?

You've got to say it's advantage Arsenal because they're six points clear.You know, I don't know what the bookmakers odds are this morning.I would imagine...

I can tell you the Optus supercomputer, if you believe it, gives Arsenal an 80 % chance of winning.80 %?

80%.Well, yeah, that would figure.And I would say the bookmakers odds will favour Arsenal this morning as well, because they've done the job.We don't know whether City are going to do the job yet.Arsenal have done the job.They're six points clear now.

I think they've got numerical advantage in terms of some of the goals stats as well.So...You know, the points are on the board, so it's...Yeah, it's...

back to Arsenal's title to lose.Arsenal's title, Jack?I think so.I think City having five games left just increases the possibility of something going wrong.The more games you play, the likely you are to drop points.Charlie?

Yeah, advantage Arsenal, but I still think that both teams are going to win all the remaining games.

And then goal difference and then you look at the fixtures and maybe Arsenal with that home game to Burnley and maybe against the Palace team that could be looking ahead to a Conference League final.Yeah well let's let it all unfold, Manchester City of course.It's over to them at Everton on the Monday night football.