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Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte has given Arsenal encouragement ahead of next season, despite Mikel Arteta’s side being likely to miss out on the top four to Tottenham. The Spanish defender described City’s visit to Arsenal in January as the toughest game he has played in this season.
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Despite the Gunners losing 2-1 on that day, Arsenal fans were delighted with their side’s performance as the ten men were positive despite going down to a late winner from Rodri.
Laporte was sat with the matchwinner that day as they were asked by MOTDx what the toughest game they have played in this season was.
The defender replied: “I think against Arsenal there, we played really well but it was very tough and you [Rodri] scored in the last minute.”
Aymeric Laporte described Arsenal away as his toughest game of the season. (Image: BBC)
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Rodri added: “The way that we came back in this game was incredible, and the fact that we scored in the last minute was very important for me.”
Arsenal shocked the league leaders in that first half on New Year’s Day, and were the better side as Bukayo Saka gave the hosts the lead after 31 minutes. Gabriel was shown a red card just before the hour mark, and Riyad Mahrez slotted in a penalty shortly after to tie the game. The ten men of Arsenal battled hard into stoppage time but Rodri’s late goal deflated the home ground, who were proud of their side’s performance despite the defeat.
The high praise from Laporte will come at a needed time for Arsenal, who will be low after their 2-0 defeat to Newcastle on Monday ensured they would need a favour from Norwich on the final day of the season to finish in the top four. The Gunners would need to beat Everton and hope Norwich claim victory over Spurs at Carrow Road to finish above their north London rivals.
Laporte has faced Liverpool, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea this season so to name his visit to the Emirates Stadium as his toughest game of the season highlights the quality Arteta wants his team to possess. Consistency has been tough to come by for Arsenal this season, something former goalkeeper David Seaman has also highlighted.
On his Seaman Says podcast, the former England stopper said: “That is what you get with a lot of young players, you get great performances and then you get indifferent ones, that is the balance that he has got to try and get.”
Seaman also hopes for a “massive” summer in which Arsenal are set to be on the lookout for a striker, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang departed in January while current forwards Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are out of contract at the end of the season.
