Pundit admits he underestimated Gunners' capabilities to win at the home of the champions
Monday 19 January 2015 09:33, UK
Arsenal can be proud of their victory at Manchester City but the Gunners have to draw positives and build on the performance, according to Gary Neville.
Everything we’ve said Arsenal have lacked in the last four or five years, they showed today - and that’s something they should be proud of.
Arsenal secured their first away league victory to a top-four rival since October 2011 as goals from Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud sealed a 2-0 win and dented City's title aspirations.
And Neville was full of praise for an Arsenal side who proved him, and many others, wrong in producing a a complete performance at the Etihad Stadium.
"I was wrong and I’m happy to be wrong," Neville told Sky Sports. "We’ve seen so many examples over the last four or five years of Arsenal capitulating that if you offered me the opportunity to come back as an Arsenal defender, I would have said no. It wouldn't have been much fun.
"I have to say, they get exposed and they have no appreciation of their defenders when they're in trouble.
"But today, they were protected all over the pitch. Bellerin got beat once in the first half by James Milner and Aaron Ramsey was close to him, and you expect that because in big games, you cannot rely upon defending one on one.
"I've seen it too many times with Arsenal. Today, the defenders were never exposed; it was one of the best back-four performances I've seen. Koscielny and Mertesacker probably aren't as tired as they've ever been. They were calm, relaxed, composed and didn't look in any trouble towards the end of the game.
"It was a really good performance and I’m happy to say that I was completely wrong last week when I tried to pre-empt a defeat for Arsenal."
Despite being impressed with Arsenal's performance, Neville challenged them to replicate this performance in both domestic and European competitions.
And while challenging the Gunners, Neville insisted nothing should be taken away from a display which demonstrated all the attributes desired in football.
"I think we’re probably going a little bit over the top because we expected to come here today and see more of the same from Arsenal," Neville added.
"I have to say the most important thing now is that they move forward and build on that, and don't go back to how they were in previous games when they came away from home.
"Not many teams come here and win so it's a big feat today what they’ve done.
“They can be proud tonight, they can go back on that train to London and they can all look at each other and think they’ve showed spirit, fight, discipline, organisation and resilience. Everything we’ve said Arsenal have lacked in the last four or five years, they showed today - and that’s something they should be proud of.
"The talent and skill will come out next week at home. Today was about those qualities and showing a different side of the game, and that’s what they did."
