“We are ready” – Ilkay Gundogan launches Manchester City battle cry ahead of Arsenal showdown

Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan has sent a rallying call to his teammates ahead of their Premier League showdown with Arsenal this week.

City face their first Premier League clash against Arsenal of the new season, and their first match against the Emirates outfit for over a year in the top-flight, with the last meeting coming on New Year’s Day of 2022.

That afternoon, a Riyad Mahrez penalty was followed up by a dramatic last-minute winner from Rodri to secure all three points in a comeback victory for Manchester City, sparking chaotic scenes in both the home and away ends for very different reasons.

This time around, City will be hoping for a repeat of such antics, as they look to cut the gap between themselves and the current Premier League leaders to just three points in an intense title pursuit this season.

The challenge that looms for Manchester City is obvious, and players within the club recognise such a fact, with club captain Ilkay Gundogan going as far as to say that he and his teammates will be going up against the ‘best side in England’ so far this season.

As per new comments to the official club website, Ilkay Gundogan said ahead of the trip to the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, “Most probably it is going to be one of the toughest games we have played in recent years, against a very strong Arsenal side with a very similar style of play with a great manager and a great team.”

“I think we are ready to go on Wednesday. We will travel to London to try to win the game and get the three points, even though we know it is going to be hard, but it is going to be a top game and we will try to get the three points.

The Manchester City captain continued, “We are playing against the best side in England so far this season, so it is going to be a top game. They are a side that we know very well. We expect football on the highest level and we are all looking forward to it.”

The reigning Premier League champions go into the clash off the back of a much-needed and impressive 3-1 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon, bouncing back from the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur the weekend prior.

Victory over Unai Emery’s men moved City to within just three points of their top-flight challengers, after Arsenal were held to a frustrating and controversial 1-1 draw by Brentford just 24 hours before Pep Guardiola and his side won.

The win over Villa was an important one, according to Ilkay Gundogan, as the Germany international midfielder stressed the importance of both scoring early in matches, and bouncing back from the disappointment of their most recent visit to North London.

“It was the reaction that we wanted. I think we played a great first half, especially after the first goal because scoring that here at the Etihad always helps us. From then, it was a great first half performance. I feel like we also dominated most of the second half,” Gundogan told ManCity.com.

“Obviously, we didn’t want to concede, but especially after conceding I felt like we managed it quite well and at the end we got the deserved three points. It is definitely the performance we needed.”

Gundogan continued, “Coming from a defeat is always tough, but we know we are strong, especially here at home we are a tough side. When we start the game with the right rhythm and we score an early goal, I always feel like we play with intensity and full of confidence.”

Manchester City will go into Wednesday night’s clash full of confidence, both from their recent win against Aston Villa, and the outcome of their last clash against Arsenal and the last meeting between the two teams at the Emirates Stadium.

City defeated Mikel Arteta’s players in the fourth round of the FA Cup, to book a fifth round tie away to Bristol City, while their last win at the Emirates would go a significant way in Pep Guardiola’s players’ run to yet another Premier League crown at the end of last season.