{"id":581290,"date":"2026-04-13T08:32:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T08:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/581290\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T08:32:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T08:32:12","slug":"the-man-city-mindset-that-dismantled-chelsea-and-could-prove-difference-in-title-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/581290\/","title":{"rendered":"The Man City mindset that dismantled Chelsea and could prove difference in title race"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By comprehensively disassembling<\/a> a dismal Chelsea<\/a>, Manchester City<\/a> have set the stage for next Sunday.<\/p>\n

They know that if they beat Arsenal<\/a> at home they will have definitively swung the title race, and that a win over Burnley<\/a> can put them back on top. Mikel Arteta\u2019s side are equally aware that even a draw still keeps the trophy in their hands.<\/p>\n

You could say it\u2019s the best possible setting, except this is not a meeting of two challengers both going in on their best form. It\u2019s only one.<\/p>\n

While Arsenal endure a long week of the soul at the worst possible time, City are coming together in a confidently exuberant manner. You could feel it among the fans, one of them captured drinking from an Arsenal bottle<\/a>. You could feel it all around the stadium, amidst the anger of Chelsea fans, and – eventually – the many empty seats.<\/p>\n

\"ManchesterManchester City cut the gap to six points on leaders Arsenal after beating Chelsea (John Walton\/PA) (PA Wire)<\/p>\n

City supporters were singing like they were champions in waiting, for the first time in some time, and it was entirely justified.<\/p>\n

They even made up some of the goal difference, winning 3-0. Arsenal can lament that Bournemouth were a much sterner challenge<\/a> than Chelsea at this stage of the season, but that\u2019s their own problem.<\/p>\n

City meanwhile just added to Liam Rosenior<\/a>\u2019s problems, too.<\/p>\n

Having initially come up with quite an effective gameplan, the young Chelsea coach had no response to Pep Guardiola<\/a>\u2019s half-time adjustments. It is yet another big game that the Catalan has swung through his own tactical insight, and an admittedly burgeoning squad.<\/p>\n

They don\u2019t really look \u201cin transition\u201d now.<\/p>\n

Guardiola, for his part, pointedly said \u201cit is the mindset, not the tactics\u201d.<\/p>\n

Nico O\u2019Reilly has quickly matured into one of the best performing players in the league, and one of the most decisive.<\/p>\n

His goals against Arsenal ensured he has already secured one trophy for City<\/a>, and the crucial opener here – another towering header – may well have sent them on the way to the most important they can yet win.<\/p>\n

It also caps a spell that is comprehensively impressive in another way.<\/p>\n

\"NicoNico O\u2019Reilly (left) broke the deadlock for Man City (AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

While Arsenal have struggled against Southampton<\/a> and Bournemouth, having looking so tepid in that Carabao Cup final, City have in the same sequence beaten: the current league leaders; the reigning English champions<\/a> and the reigning world champions.<\/p>\n

All of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have been dispatched in three different competitions with a record of nine goals scored and none conceded, to put Guardiola’s team in the best possible mindset for next Sunday and maybe the most important win of all.<\/p>\n

Within that, though, there might also be a genuine football lesson.<\/p>\n

Wider debates can be made about the advantages that come with the nature of the City project, and there will of course be references to the ongoing Premier League case<\/a> – the club insist on their innocence. Taking the current situation as it is with Arsenal still six points clear after a game more played, though, only one side looks to actually be looking to maximise what they can do.<\/p>\n

City are pushing out the margins of their play, expressing themselves, while Arteta\u2019s team are playing within the margins, constraining themselves.<\/p>\n

\"ManMan City are pushing out the margins of their play while Arsenal look to be constraining themselves (Action Images via Reuters)<\/p>\n

That may well be crucial, especially if this does come down to goal difference, as is highly possible.<\/p>\n

Just look at the contrast from the closing stages of both of this weekend\u2019s key title games.<\/p>\n

Outside a frustrated and harried Eberechi Eze, Arsenal couldn\u2019t really get on the ball. They couldn\u2019t even sustain a wave of pressure, their attackers so frustrated, while the whole team struggled to just\u2026 play.<\/p>\n

Against that, Rayan Cherki was in full flow. He was again loving it, just using another pitch as a canvas.<\/p>\n

\"RayanRayan Cherki was exceptional again for City (REUTERS)<\/p>\n

There was the artful ball to O\u2019Reilly for the opener and then the incisive run and through ball to set up Marc Guehi.<\/p>\n

It is remarkable to think that this was actually City\u2019s first league win since 28 February, even if it is just two games.<\/p>\n

That is how much has transformed over the recent cup interlude.<\/p>\n

Jeremy Doku<\/a> finally thundered in the third to just reflect a team playing without any doubt or hesitation.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d hit three in 17 minutes. It barely mattered that Erling Haaland<\/a> again didn\u2019t score.<\/p>\n

The difference with Arsenal on Saturday couldn\u2019t be more apparent, as the City fans asked whether they were watching over in north London.<\/p>\n

\"ErlingErling Haaland didn\u2019t score again but it barely mattered for City (REUTERS)<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to play to win,\u201d Guardiola said, while making a pointed comment about how going out of the Champions League<\/a> has actually helped keep his side fresh.<\/p>\n

Arsenal have now seen City ramp up in April a lot. When asked about a near-perfect record in this month during his time at the club, Guardiola laughed \u201cit\u2019s the sun\u201d.<\/p>\n

He was so relaxed afterwards he was imparting life lessons about \u201cdoing your best\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"PepPep Guardiola celebrates with his players at full-time (Action Images via Reuters)<\/p>\n

By City\u2019s third goal, a lot of Chelsea fans weren\u2019t watching. Stamford Bridge had started to empty long before the end.<\/p>\n

A malaise has engulfed the place. By that point, Enzo Fernandez\u2019s punishment<\/a> barely seemed relevant. Rosenior said the midfielder is now “in the clear” and he’s now “looking forward” to having him back. Are Chelsea’s fans really looking forward to anything, though?<\/p>\n

The only teams they have beaten since 4 March are Wrexham and Port Vale.<\/p>\n

Some allowances can be made for Rosenior in a situation that was complicated even before he came in – and he here pointed to Marc Cucurella’s disallowed goal – but was he ever ready for this?<\/p>\n

\"LiamLiam Rosenior has entered dire straits as Chelsea boss (AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

It was abject. Even his substitutions seemed too late.<\/p>\n

City are meanwhile coming to form at exactly the right time.<\/p>\n

Far from a first Arsenal title since 2004, this is currently looking like it\u2019s set up for a repeat of 2023.<\/p>\n

As the manager himself said, it\u2019s the mindset.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":581291,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[403,99],"class_list":["post-581290","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-soccer","tag-soccer","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/581290","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=581290"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/581290\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/581291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=581290"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=581290"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=581290"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}