Arsenal vs Man City

AC Milan’s defender Alessandro Nesta (C-L) reacts getting a yellow card against Barcelona.

Before I get to Sunday’s attraction, I must deal with the weeks biggest controversy - Barca’s second penalty on Tuesday night.

Here are the facts: Nesta was tugging Busquets shirt and the ball was not in play. Puyol was also around the vicinity but let’s forget about him to simplify the issue.

Shirt tugging is a foul yes, but the bigger point is the ball had not been kicked. We have all seen it a million times; referees stop the corner kick, tell the players to cut it out and then the kick is taken. If the kick is indeed taken and there is indeed shirt tugging, then give the penalty.

This is just the latest string of controversial decisions that go in Barcelona’s favour stretching back to that infamous night against Chelsea in 2009, Van Persie’s sending off season before last and last season’s well publicised issues in their semi final against Madrid.

Is there a conspiracy for Barcelona? I doubt it but decisions like the one on Tuesday night don’t really help the issue.

Iniesta’s goal means Barcelona would have won the tie anyway but at 1-1 Milan were in it and the ref changed the game. Football is a mind game, the penalty lifted the pressure from Barca and knocked the stuffing out of Milan.

Back to today’s attractions and there is the possibility that by the time Man City kick off against Arsenal, Man United will be eight points clear at the top because they play last weekend’s Arsenal beaters QPR a few hours early.

This is a game Man City cannot afford to lose while Arsenal can afford to lose the game but they just don’t want to and such is the fierce desire for third place.

The upside for Arsenal is that this is an away game for City and they cannot seem to win one of those at the moment. Last weekend they even dropped points at home to Sunderland where Nicklas Bendtner, of Arsenal ironically, was their tormentor in chief.

Arsenal were unquestionably second best against QPR last weekend. Vermaelen of all people was all over the place, Theo Walcott scored but did nothing else, Ramsey’s contribution was measly ditto Van Persie.

City come into this game under a lot of pressure since United are shifting gear and looking like champions with every performance. Two late strikes on Monday night secured a crucial away win at Blackburn.

Ashley Young says United can smell City’s fear, he may not be wrong. There was talk of yet more dressing room fighting last weekend and that is not the picture of a squad that has got their act together.

Man City have the firepower to beat Arsenal; Aguero is back, Balotelli is, well Balotelli, Tevez is available and so is Dzeko.

If City win this game the title race is definitely on but if they lose, to expect United to crash and burn within seven games with no big team fixtures is to pray for a lot. They have been in this situation too many times before for that to happen.

United may not have big teams but they play teams like QPR and Wigan who are fighting for survival and just like Blackburn did on Monday they will fight United for points.

If United win I wonder if City will have the nerves to handle their business or will they let their heads drop? However, if United falter, Arsenal will need a bucket to collect the balls from Szczesny’s net.

In other news Liverpool lost again, the news would be if they won. They have lost six of their last seven games in the league and had Reina sent off, Andy Caroll was booked for diving. Good times at Anfield.

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