Pep Guardiola ‘messing about with his team’ is helping Arsenal’s bid for the Premier League title, says Danny Murphy, as Manchester City faltered again on Saturday.
In the first Premier League game on Saturday Arsenal twice came from behind to beat Aston Villa 4-2 and move back to the top of the table, although City were expected to retake the lead later in the afternoon.
Guardiola’s side went to Nottingham Forest and took the lead through Bernardo Silva, but they failed to make their domination of the game pay, with Chris Wood equalising late on and the Gunners stayed top of the table.
After the shock January departure of Joao Cancelo to Bayern Munich on loan, City are short of a left-back and Guardiola has been fielding a back three, which Murphy thinks is costing the champions.
The former Liverpool star believes that if Guardiola resorted to the formation which brought his side so much success then Arsenal may not be sitting atop the table.
‘Mikel Arteta must be so relieved to see Pep Guardiola messing about with his team — otherwise Arsenal might be the ones doing the chasing in this title race,’ Murphy wrote in the Daily Mail.
‘If he had played the entire season with his usual 4-3-3 system, stopped tinkering with his back three and played with an actual left-back, Manchester City could be in control of their own destiny.
‘The concern is not failing to beat Nottingham Forest on Saturday. They dominated the game. Haaland missed two sitters. On any other day, they win the game easily.
‘The concern comes in the other away games they have lost, against Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United where they did not dominate and did not bombard the opposition goal. That comes from the constant tweaking of the back four, the shape and the personnel. This new three-at-the-back has made them easier to get at.
‘Without the likes of Joao Cancelo and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who Pep has allowed to leave, they don’t have a left-back who understands the role Guardiola wants, who knows when to tuck into midfield and when not.’
Saturday’s results left Arsenal two points clear of City with a game in hand on their closest rivals.
MORE : ‘Unacceptable!’ – Kyle Walker furious after Manchester City lose Premier League lead to Arsenal
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