Only a ‘brilliant’ Aaron Ramsdale performance stopped Manchester City from hitting six or seven against Premier League title rivals Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
That is according to Darren Bent, the Gunners-mad former England international who watched on in horror as his side were ragdolled, discarded and dismissed by a brutal Man City display in the North West.
And while some laid the blame at Ramsdale’s door as Kevin de Bruyne opened the scoring with a long range effort early on, Bent feels that Arsenal were still indebted to their goalkeeper after a 4-1 defeat which flattered the visitors far more than the dominant hosts.
“He was brilliant by the way,” Bent tells talkSPORT (27 April, 5pm). “Without him, it could have been five, six, seven…”
Pep Guardiola’s side mustered nine shots on target against an Arsenal side who led the way since almost day one. Ramsdale almost single-handedly kept the usually-ruthless Erling Haaland off the scoresheet too, until City’s very own Norse god finally found a way past the former Sheffield United ‘keeper in stoppage time, his blonde locks flowing in the breeze like He-Man in a Loreal advert.
Aaron Ramsdale cannot save Arsenal from defeat against Man City
“It felt like someone had just knocked me clean out,” Bent sighs.
The former Sunderland, Aston Villa and Tottenham striker expects to see Arsenal bounce back stronger; Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, William Saliba, Martin Odegaard and co all under the age of 24.
Things might not look particularly rose in the present; that City defeat their fourth game in a row without a win. But the future is still bright indeed at the Emirates Stadium.
“(The likes of) Manchester United and Aston Villa are way behind Arsenal. They are not just going to leapfrog Arsenal,” Bent argues. “I don’t think that will happen.
“Arsenal will be better again next season. Mikel Arteta has set the foundations. If you can get a Declan Rice, or someone of that quality, you go again next season.
“To beat City to a title, you’ve got to be pretty much faultless. (Man City are) unbelievable.”
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