They went down with barely a whimper at the Bernabeu in midweek, with the 1-0 aggregate scoreline flattering Pellegrini’s men.
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Manager Arsene Wenger said: “It was a very intense game where we had a hard start because Manchester City started strongly and we suffered”. Petr Cech intercepted a through ball for Aguero and cleared it wide, but the ball found Navas who missed the target. “We didn’t deserve to lose, Madrid was lucky with its goal, when the ball was deflected”.
“I try to give this team what I think that football is”, he said. “There was a lot of work by both sides in the two games, but not a lot of creativity”.
“They are second with one game left — at Newcastle next weekend — and can still be overtaken by Arsenal or Manchester City. Pablo Zabaleta and David Silva remain on the sidelines while Aleksandar Kolarov also has a knock. That’s on top of keeping his usual calm demeanour ahead of his farewell match at the Etihad.
“I think he will play in the European Championships and for me he was one of the players of the year in the Premier League”, Wenger told reporters.
“For me, the second season was the worst – if we can finish in third in this third season it wouldn’t be extraordinary but still a good season”. “I try to choose the players I thought were in the best moment for this game and for different reasons it was not the case for Samir”.
Despite losing 2-1 at home to Southampton, Tottenham is assured of a top-three finish and therefore automatic qualification to the Champions League group stage.
Here are the basic permutations broken down for each team that still has a chance of securing Champions League football next term…
RK: There was that little spell when Norwich showed signs that they might just get themselves out of trouble but they have run out of puff. I have big sympathy for Pellegrini, until Sunday. Lets wait until we get the real diagnosis.
Arsenal fans in the Transfer Tavern have breathed a huge sigh of relief today, after a star player quashed transfer speculation linking him with an exit from the Emirates Stadium.
It is not simply coincidence or bad luck that City have not beaten anybody in the top six; in their nine games against the division’s best performing sides, they have barely had a sniff of victory.
In the 68th minute Arsenal were back on level terms.
It’s a strategy Pellegrini expects Wenger to use again Sunday. “They let us have possession and they defended. I hope that we are going to finish with that statistic on Sunday”.
‘But there are three years of work here, for me, three wonderful and unforgettable years so all I can say to all the fans is thanks for all of it.
Yet nearly immediately City undid their good work as former Arsenal defender Gael Clichy wrong-footed Joe Hart with a header and nearly handed his old side a freaky equaliser. To come into the Premier League and survive is beyond their wildest dreams.
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Since 2006, these teams have faced each other 25 times in all competitions, of which 12 have been won by Arsenal and 9 by City.
