Deeney: Six Arsenal Players Simply Weren't at the Races in City Defeat

Troy Deeney has identified six Arsenal players who failed to deliver the goods during Sunday's 2-1 reversal at the Etihad, a result that has dramatically shifted the Premier League landscape in Manchester City's favour.

Erling Haaland's second-half finish proved decisive after Kai Havertz had levelled Rayan Cherki's stunning first-half opener—which came about following a Gianluigi Donnarumma howler. Despite creating opportunities throughout, Arsenal couldn't find the clinical edge required on the day.

The loss leaves City just three points adrift with a game in hand, and they'll move clear atop the table should they dispatch Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday evening.

Speaking on CBS Sports, Deeney was unsparing in his assessment: "Noni Madueke didn't turn up, Martin Zubimendi didn't turn up, Martin Odegaard didn't turn up, Cristhian Mosquera didn't turn up, Piero Hincapie didn't turn up. And arguably, he's a friend of mine, Declan Rice didn't turn up."

He continued: "When Arsenal have this many players not performing to the standard you'd expect, you have to question it and ask where their heads were at."

The Social Media Reckoning

Bracing for the inevitable storm on social media, Deeney predicted: "The Arsenal meltdown will be epic. The online meltdown will be epic."

However, he noted that Arsenal's remaining fixture list—Newcastle (currently chaotic under Eddie Howe), Fulham, West Ham, Burnley, and Crystal Palace—shouldn't prove insurmountable, though West Ham's recent form and Fulham's unpredictability add uncertainty.

The Fixture Congestion Problem

Deeney believes Mikel Arteta faces an uncomfortable choice between competing seriously in both the Premier League and Champions League semi-finals. "I don't think Arsenal can keep running these players into the ground," he warned. "They'll have to prioritise one of the two."

Manchester City, by contrast, enjoy the luxury of focusing primarily on the league, with only the FA Cup as a secondary concern. Deeney suggested City could field a completely different XI—including James Trafford, Tijjani Reijnders, John Stones, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Savinho, and Phil Foden—and still boast an elite outfit.

The Tactical Weakness Exposed

On City's attacking approach, Deeney highlighted how Cherki, Doku, and Semenyo troubled Arsenal relentlessly. "These guys won it for Manchester City," he explained. "They were able to take Arsenal deep into the box."

Arsenal's right-back position—whether Mosquera or Ben White—proved problematic throughout. Mosquera's early yellow card restricted his defensive aggression, though Deeney felt Doku could have exploited that weakness even more ruthlessly before Haaland's decisive moment.

"Cherki is by far Manchester City's best player at the moment," Deeney concluded. "He adds something completely different to what they've had."

Despite the loss, Deeney suggested the title race retains twists and turns, though City's momentum is now undeniable.