Browsing: defensive

OTTAWA — Itâ€s early, but the Ottawa Senators†biggest concern so far in the 2025-26 campaign is keeping the puck out of their net. They sit third-last in goals against at 3.84 allowed per game. Yet, their 7-1 win over the Washington Capitals Saturday night epitomized the defensive style the Senators aspire to and are capable of, as they gave up only 13 shots.

The start of the season hasn’t been pretty for Ottawa in its own zone, allowing 30 goals in the first six games. But that seems to be changing. The Senators have allowed only five goals in their last three games.

Ottawaâ€s prospects for returning to the playoffs will live or die on their ability to thwart opponents from scoring. Last season was the first time the Senators were top 16 in goals allowed since 2016-17, and guess what? They made the playoffs for the first time since that 2016-17 season.

With that said, letâ€s analyze their performance on that end thus far and why the Senators’ defence isnâ€t as bad as it initially seemed.

The Senators are featuring a broken penalty kill that succeeds just 64.5 per cent of the time. Unfortunately, their diamond formation hasnâ€t been elite the past two seasons. It finished 19th in 2024-25 and is down to second last so far this year. Diamonds are forever, they say, and head coach Travis Green has stated the Senators will continue with it.

The goal of the formation is for the short-handed unit to keep players to the outside of the defensive diamond formed around the slot. The issue for the Senators has been defending their diamond without abandoning the aggressiveness necessary for an effective kill. To begin the season, Ottawa’s PK has been too passive when it needs to be passive-aggressive.

 â€œI like the idea behind it, but there’s also a passive part,†said Nick Jensen about the diamond formation.

“We sometimes get into the habit of going straight to that passive part and not putting any pressure… We want to be aggressive at times, and we weren’t being aggressive at the times we’re supposed to be (to begin the season).â€

Too many times, star players are left wide open. Yeah, that won’t work against Connor McDavid.

To its credit, Ottawa has been noticeably more aggressive recently — a perfect 5-for-5 with a man down the last two games.

Of course, the penalty killing woes arenâ€t all on the skaters. The analytics would tell you the Sens should actually be good on the kill, with the eighth-best expected goals rate in the league while short-handed. But the Senators have the worst penalty kill save percentage. If your goaltending isnâ€t at its best on the penalty kill, then your kill wonâ€t be at its best.

Ottawaâ€s been poor short-handed, but not 64.5 per cent bad. Thereâ€s lots of blame to go around, but also plenty of reasons to think itâ€s going to improve as it has recently.

Steal a game, donâ€t lose it: Thatâ€s a goaltenderâ€s job. Be the reason a team wins more often than it loses. Last season, Linus Ullmark reversed the Senators†goaltending woes with excellent play after seven long seasons. But so far this season, Ullmark has been the reason for Ottawaâ€s losses more than its wins with a woeful .870 save percentage in eight starts and minus-3.4 expected goals allowed.

In hockey, there is a close relationship between where a team ranks in save percentage and where it ranks in the standings. Last season, Ottawa finished 11th in team save percentage and 12th in the standings. Ottawa currently sits 31st in team save percentage and 20th in the standings.

Good news for the former Vezina trophy winner, however, is that heâ€s regained his form recently with a .918 save percentage in his last three games while allowing five goals. As youâ€d expect, Ottawa is 2-0-1 in those games. Ullmark is also — literally — a fighter, stepping up for his teammates in Saturday nightâ€s tilt with the Caps.

Imagine the wide smile on Brady Tkachukâ€s face when he saw Ullmark up for the goalie fight against Washington netminder Charlie Lindgren.

When Ullmark is good — which heâ€s looked closer to recently — so are the Senators.

Finding defensive structure

Last season, the Senators were a stout defensive team that led the league with 10 shutouts. The talk heading into this season was squarely focused on scoring more at five-on-five, where they had finished second last. But sometimes when you look for offence, you forget defence. In Ottawa’s first six games they were dreadful. Â

“Whether or not we’re doing the right things in the defensive zone, I don’t think we played to that standard yet,†Jensen told Sportsnet.ca early last week.

“In the defensive zone, (we canâ€t) be on the offensive side of the opponent, because well, if we get this puck going north, (youâ€re) going to have a two-on-one or three-on-one as opposed to if you’re just even with them, and then it’s a foot race at that point.â€

Ottawaâ€s defensive philosophy is always to have players behind the puck and be mindful of not jumping up in the rush unless thereâ€s a clear-cut opportunity, because if it fails, they could get burned in the opposite direction. Too often, early on, Ottawa would turn pucks over rather than make the simple plays to create offence. Dylan Cozens getting pickpocketed against Nashville in the Sens home-opener, for instance, leading directly to the opening goal.

After a heartbreaking loss to the New York Islanders, in which Ottawa blew multiple leads due to poor defensive efforts, Green was displeased, calling the team “sloppyâ€.

“A lot of things that we took pride in last year that we were good at, we werenâ€t good tonight in,†Green said after that loss.

“Whatâ€s your mindset? Are you cheating for offence? Are you on the right side of the puck? Thereâ€s a certain style of play that we want. Thereâ€s been a lot of talk about creating more offence, but it does not mean cheating for offence. That part of our game is not tight right now.â€

Since then, Ottawa has returned to its former selves, allowing only five goals in three games. Ottawa also has the best expected goals allowed rate in the NHL in their last three games at 2.28. Â

“Weâ€re making progress. We are playing stingy defensively. Weâ€re not giving up grade A chances,†said Nick Cousins after Ottawaâ€s win in Washington.

“Weâ€re not cheating the game.â€

The eye test supports that claim as the Senators’ return to their defensive structure has shown dividends on the scoreboard.Â

Thwarting opponents’ time and chances

Interestingly, Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast on Friday mentioned how good the Senators are at limiting opponents’ O-zone possession time at five-on-five (3:40), ranking them third best in the NHL before Saturdayâ€s win.

One of the best ways to defend is simply not being in your own end.

A perfect example of that was the Senators allowing only 13 shots against the Capitals.

“We could have won 2-1, thatâ€s the mindset you have to have in this league,†said Ullmark after Ottawa drubbed Washington

A possible explanation for the Senators’ ability to stifle opponents’ O-zone time is that Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot are both elite puck movers and create one-man zone exits that make it hard for the opponent to sustain pressure in the offensive zone.

That correlates with Ottawa having the fifth-best expected goals per-60 at 2.22 a game at five-on-five, and the eighth fewest high-danger chances against per game.Â

All the data suggest that if the Senators clean up their penalty kill, get league-average goaltending and cut down their moments of cheating for offence, then theyâ€ll be a good to even great defensive team. The Senators aren’t as bad as their defensive record, but itâ€s also on them to continue showing us that’s the case.

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The 21-year-old Tigers shortstop posted a .991 OPS across three levels this season, coming back from injury to log 101 hits in 88 games and walk 13 more times than he struck out. Along the way, he found his power stroke and upped his home run total from five a year ago to 19 against more advanced pitching—something that helped him climb all the way up to becoming Baseball America’s No. 2 overall prospect.

It was, by just about any measure, a season to remember for one of the game’s best prospects.

But as he reflected on the past season during his stint in the Arizona Fall League, McGonigle made one thing clear: Thereâ€s still work to be done.

“I struggled with defense this year,†McGonigle said. “Thatâ€s why Iâ€m here. Iâ€m really trying to lock in on that. I struggled with throwing, range—even just routine ground balls, sometimes I have hiccups on. Iâ€m trying to find the right foot patterns to approach different ground balls and just make every single play thatâ€s hit at me.â€

That kind of self-awareness and work ethic has defined McGonigle since his amateur days. It’s part of what the Tigers valued when they selected him 37th overall in 2023.

A polished, lefthanded bat with a mature approach at the plate, McGonigleâ€s offensive reputation preceded him long before he entered pro ball. He consistently barrels pitches, shows plate discipline beyond his years and has proven he can handle advanced pitching at every stop so far.

But while the bat has translated seamlessly, McGonigle’s defensive development is still an area requiring improvement. Though his arm strength is considered an above-average tool, his lateral quickness and overall consistency in the field remain a work in progress. The Tigers have recognized it—and so has McGonigle.

“This is the biggest offseason for me,” he said.

And so, Detroit challenged McGonigle with an unfamiliar assignment this fall: more reps at third base. It’s a position heâ€s played in-game just once—way back during the clubâ€s Spring Breakout exhibition in March.

Helping to guide that transition is a name synonymous with Tigers defensive excellence in Hall of Famer Alan Trammell. The legendary shortstop has worked closely with McGonigle throughout his career, serving as both mentor and infield coordinator.

“He was all in,†Trammell said of McGonigle’s new defensive assignment. “Heâ€s one of the top prospects. He could say ‘Why? Whatâ€s wrong with me playing shortstop?’ But thatâ€s not who he is. Heâ€s open to anything to help the organization win. That tells you a lot about Kevin McGonigle.â€

So far, McGonigle has soaked up every bit of insight he can from his sessions with Trammell, treating each one like a masterclass in infield play. Throughout the season, heâ€s focused on refining the small but crucial details—the kinds of things that separate solid defenders from great ones.Â

Heâ€s learned techniques like how to handle deep throws from the backhand side—if you’re going to miss, aim for the grass to give the first baseman a long, manageable hop—and he’s worked on setting his base properly, learning to generate power from his legs instead of relying solely on his arm so that his throws carry more velocity and stay on target.

“Heâ€s a sponge,†Trammell said. “Since the day he signed, heâ€s been really engaged. Thatâ€s one of the key attributes I always look for in young players. Heâ€s already a pretty darn good defensive player, but thereâ€s always room for improvement, and he knows that. He wants to be great.â€

They’re subtle adjustments, but McGonigle knows they can make all the difference over the course of a season—and a career.

“Being surrounded by people like Alan Trammell has helped a lot,†McGonigle said. “Heâ€s helped me so much through my first years of pro ball. Sitting down and listening to guys like him will help you further your career. I try to hone in on the little things they teach, and thatâ€s whatâ€s gotten me better since the day I was first drafted.â€

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As they like to say in the US, dee-fense wins championships. The sentiment is not an exclusively American thing. “Attack wins you games, defence win you titles,†Sir Alex Ferguson once said. And he should know, having won quite a lot of them with Manchester United.

As England look forward to next summerâ€s World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, the idea has come to resonate, mainly because of how miserly they have been at the back under Thomas Tuchel.

They will secure automatic qualification with two games to spare if they beat Latvia on Tuesday night. It ought not be beyond them given Latvia could only draw 2-2 here with the Group K whipping boys, Andorra, on Saturday. And given England have been virtually impregnable in the campaign under Tuchel.

The table shows five wins out of five with five clean sheets, Jordan Pickford keeping them all. The goalkeeper returned another last Thursday in the 3-0 friendly win against Wales at Wembley, his eighth in a row for England, breaking a record he shared with Gordon Banks. You have to go back a year to find the last England game when Pickford conceded; the 2-1 Nations League defeat against Greece at Wembley. Tuchelâ€s England have been breached in one match – the 3-1 friendly defeat against Senegal in June when Dean Henderson was in goal.

That was no slight on Henderson, rather a reflection of Senegalâ€s superior quality compared with everything else Tuchel has faced. This really cannot be overlooked. Wales are the next-highest country at No 30 while a Serbia team in disarray are 34th. Albania are 66th; Latvia and Andorra well into the triple digits.

Drill a little deeper into the numbers and it is hard to ignore the one about how Pickford has been required to make two saves during qualification; one against Latvia, the other against Serbia. But this is not only about Pickford, rather the unit he anchors. As he was quick to point out, it is about the XI as a defensive collective, starting with the captain, Harry Kane, up front.

It is about good habits and relationships; the setting of standards. If it is not the glamorous side of the game, the one that excites the fans, it remains fundamental. England were criticised for their lack of spark under Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024. Their resilience almost overcame everything as they conceded four goals en route to the final, which they lost 2-1 against Spain.

Jordan Pickford made his name for England at Russia 2018 with his penalty shootout heroics against Colombia. Photograph: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty Images

“What weâ€ve got is that solid base,†Pickford said. “Once we know weâ€re defending like that as a unit, it gives us the freedom to go and create chances at the other end. Keeping clean sheets is good, but if you keep having that momentum defensively, you get better positions on the ball and you create more opportunities to score and win the game.â€

Pickford, who is primed to sign a new long-term contract at Everton, has been the constant in Tuchelâ€s defensive unit during qualification and it feels as though it is John Stones, who is back to fitness, and Marc Guéhi as the preferred centre-half pairing, with Ezri Konsa also pushing. The worries are in the full-back positions.

It seems like a long time ago that Southgate was ribbed for having a right-back fetish. Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier are out of the picture and Trent Alexander-Arnold does not appear to have Tuchelâ€s trust. He is also injured at present. Reece James is the first choice, but his fitness problems are well documented; he, too, is out with an injury. Konsa is in line to fill in against Latvia, as he did against Wales.

At left-back, Tino Livramento started in the 5-0 away win against Serbia in September, which was surely Tuchelâ€s biggest game. As such, Livramento is probably the player in possession of the shirt, although he is another injury casualty. Which leaves Djed Spence, who, like Livramento, has been repurposed from right-back, and Myles Lewis-Skelly, who has lost his place in Arsenalâ€s starting lineup. Tuchel has made clear that he needs Lewis-Skelly to “perform at club level on a regular basis … to just be a good citizen in camp will not be enough to stay the whole yearâ€.

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Pickford is poised to win his 80th cap against Latvia and he is seeking to play at a third World Cup, having made his name at Russia 2018 with his penalty shootout heroics against Colombia in the last 16. “Every time you get that England call-up, you should be proud,†he said. “My mum texts me every time after the announcement to say well done and congrats.â€

Pickford has had his doubters; those who pick holes in his technique, who say he is not tall enough. But there is a reason why he has remained the undisputed No 1 – his shot-stopping reflexes are excellent and his concentration levels have improved as he has grown in experience. The most recent example came against Wales when he was a virtual bystander for the first 55 minutes and then made two good saves.

“Iâ€m always moving with the game,†Pickford said. “I always stay in the moment when I am not doing anything. My coaches used to say: ‘Donâ€t be bored, donâ€t go trying to invent work, let the work come to you. If there is a cross 16 yards out, donâ€t come and think you have to go and do it because you have not done anything for 15 minutes.†That is something I have definitely learned and there is a big improvement on that side of it.â€

Of Pickfordâ€s remarkable England statistics, one stands out. He has made a single error that has led to a goal – in the 2-2 friendly draw against Belgium in March 2024. He has never let England down. He intends to be the foundation stone for glory.

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A closer look at Montrealâ€s five goals in Thursdayâ€s victory over Detroit and an assessment of how many can truly be pinned on John Gibson.

The Detroit Red Wings had a troubling start to the season of Thursday as they found themselves down 3-1 early in the first period. They saw their chances in the second and third but never were able to crack the Habs defense and young goaltender Jakub Dobes. Montreal ended up prevailing 5-1 as the Red Wings were booed off the ice in their very first game of the season.

John Gibson Pulled In Red Wings Debut As Part Of 5-1 Loss To Canadiens
The Detroit Red Wings have seen it all through 100 years of history in the National Hockey League, and have delivered multiple cherished memories for their legions of fans across the world.

Every facet of the Red Wings†game came under scrutiny, the offense struggled to finish, the defense blew key assignments, and newly acquired goaltender John Gibson couldnâ€t come up with the saves Detroit needed. While the forwards generated a decent number of chances, it wouldnâ€t be fair to pin the loss solely on Gibson. Most of Montrealâ€s goals were avoidable, but defensive breakdowns turned them into easy opportunities for the Canadiens.

Take the Habs first goal for example. The Canadiens opened the scoring with a quick and efficient passing play. Brendan Gallagher, positioned along the boards, spotted a streaking Zach Bolduc breaking up the ice. After receiving a pass from defenseman Mike Matheson, Gallagher immediately sent the puck ahead into open ice, perfectly placed for Bolduc to collect.

Bolduc blew past Red Wings defenseman Travis Hamonic and forward Michael Rasmussen, creating a clean breakaway. He finished the play with a low blocker-side shot past goaltender John Gibson for the first goal.

Breakaways are difficult for any goalie to stop, but the Red Wings†defensive struggles continued on Montrealâ€s second tally. The pairing of Hamonic and Albert Johansson was again caught out of position. Johansson was caught deep in the offensive zone, allowing Canadiens forward Oliver Kapanen to slip behind him. A quick pass found a charging Alex Newhook, setting up a two-on-one rush.

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Newhook fed Kapanen across the slot, and although Gibson managed to get a piece of the shot, it wasnâ€t enough to prevent Kapanen from burying it into the open net.

“We Earned Those”: Todd McLellan Says Red Wings Deserved Fan Boos After 5-1 Loss
Throughout his first Training Camp as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, Todd McLellan emphasized the importance of mental fortitude and responding the right way when things inevitably go wrong over the course of an 82-game season.

Montrealâ€s next two goals came off unfortunate deflections, one off Ben Chiarotâ€s stick and another off Johansson, continuing Detroitâ€s defensive woes. The fifth goal was likely the only one Gibson could have handled better. On a Canadiens power play, Cole Caufield fired a point shot that Gibson initially stopped but failed to control. The rebound kicked directly into the slot, where Juraj Slafkovsky pounced and fired it home.

Ideally, Gibson would have directed the rebound to the corner or toward the side boards, keeping it away from a dangerous netfront chance. While the shot itself was difficult to handle, better rebound control or a quicker defensive response from Detroit could have prevented the goal.

Gibson was eventually pulled for Cam Talbot in the third, who finished the game with saves on four shots. Gibson’s final stat line was just eight saves on 13 shots with five goals allowed but the game tells a very different story as many of the goals he never had a chance on.

The Red Wings management team took a big swing grabbing Gibson and he likely has more to prove than what was showed on Thursday. Thereâ€s no word yet on who will start Saturday against the Maple Leafs, but if Gibson gets the nod again, the hope is that heâ€ll have a better chance to showcase his abilities, rather than being left in no-win situations where heâ€s forced to make highlight-reel saves on odd-man rushes and breakaways.

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Liverpool are in the midst of a defensive injury crisis, and it may just have got worse.

Ibrahima Konate was withdrawn on the hour mark in their most recent outing against Chelsea, with manager Arne Slot later citing a “quad” issue.

It comes during one of the trickiest spells in the Dutchman’s tenure so far, with the Reds having lost three games on the bounce, including their trip to Stamford Bridge.

Depending on the length of his absence, Konate could soon be joining fellow centre-back and new signing Giovanni Leoni in the treatment room, the young Italian who picked up an ACL injury in his first outing for a new club.

Liverpool have confirmed, via their official website, that Wataru Endo has withdrawn from international duty with Japan due to injury.

The 32-year-old has not been a regular starter under Slot, but has reams of experience operating at centre-back, as well as his more common defensive midfield role.

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With Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez the only fit senior centre-back’s at the manager’s disposal – and the latter left on the bench at the weekend with midfielder Ryan Gravenberch deputising for Konate after his injury instead – Endo’s adaptability would have come into its own.

Further updates are still required to know precisely how long Konate and Endo are expected to be out for, but the fact that both are doubts is enough to give Slot a headache.

In FourFourTwo’s view, Endo’s injury may not affect immediate squad selection, but it does greatly reduce the cover Slot has.

Wataru Endo has been forced to withdraw from international duty with Japan (Image credit: Alamy)

Selecting Gomez to partner Van Dijk seems the obvious choice, but his refusal to send the Englishman on after Konate’s injury raises questions about whether the Reds boss sees that as the answer at the minute.

Spoilt for choice in terms of attacking options this season, Slot may be wishing some more of his summer budget had been diverted to defensive acquisitions.

Endo is valued at €8m, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool next face Manchester United, when Premier League action returns after the international break.

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SAN FRANCISCO – Somewhere beneath the frequent chatter related to the Warriors†relatively elderly core, there is a quieter concern about their roster.

Theyâ€re still small by NBA standards. They donâ€t have a classic rim protector in the mold of ex-Warrior Andrew Bogut or, in todayâ€s game, Victor Wembanyama or Walker Kessler. All three stand at least 7 feet.

Golden State must find a way to offset that deficiency, and the logical start is by strengthening its point-of-attack defense. If your defense lacks a natural deterrent, closing the freeway to the rim becomes imperative.

That message is being delivered to all the guards and wings on the roster, particularly those not named Stephen Curry. Itâ€s on the minds of Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga and rookie Will Richard. Same applies to Deâ€Anthony Melton, who wonâ€t be active until November at the soonest. There is depth within the teamâ€s backcourt defenders.

Moody, who at times last season filled that role, seems energized by the prospect of expanding his opportunities.

“It really let me know how fun it is,†he said Friday, referring to last seasonâ€s trial. “I really enjoyed picking up high, bothering the ball, reaching when I can. Thereâ€s just a feeling to it. As a kid I used to love to wrestle . . .  it just kind of feels like that when I’m chasing guys around, grabbing trying to get the ball. It just kind of takes me back there, and I like it. Itâ€s fun.â€

At 6-foot-5, with a 7-foot wingspan, Moody is well built to match up with the likes of such dangerous ballhandling scorers as Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards and James Harden of the LA Clippers.

Payton, 32, concedes that his athleticism has diminished a bit over the years, but realizes on-ball defense is the greatest asset he can brings to the Warriors.

“I probably wouldn’t be here without it,†he told NBC Sports Bay Area on Friday. “It wasn’t so I’m pretty sure I got to keep that ‘on lock†and just cause havoc. I know I’m not same athletic guy I used to be a few years ago. But when it gets down to the crunch time, gets down to April and beyond, I can still do it. They can look to me to guard that guy.â€

There were numerous games last season when the Warriors built substantial leads, only to get cooked down the stretch, with opposing guards doing most of the torching. There also were games when the Warriors simply couldnâ€t compete with teams that bullied them at the rim.

In the Warriors†final game of the season, Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals at Minnesota, they gave up a whopping 72 point the paint. Golden State was minus-22 in the paint.

Itâ€s conceivable that whoever starts the season sharing the backcourt with Stephen Curry will be the primary point-of-attack defender. With Melton out of action, coach Steve Kerr could follow a game-by-game matchup plan until someone seizes the role. Could be Moody or Payton. Podziemski, who makes up for what he lacks in athleticism with persistence, is another potential option.

He was prone to fouls last season – too much reaching – and his plaintive complaints to officials often led to lapses in focus. This was pointed out by Kerr as an issue the third-year guard must control to continue his development.

“The big thing to show another leap would be emotional maturity,†Podziemski said this week. “Talking to the refs is included in that. But, just keeping a composure about myself so that my teammates see that.â€

The Warriors will have defenders on the back line. Al Horford, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler III in the starting lineup, with Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quentin Post coming off the bench. Post is 7-feet but lacks the instincts and athleticism to be a consistently effective rim protector.

Golden Stateâ€s defense will rise and fall with the ability of its point-of-attack defenders to limit penetration. Kerr has several candidates, mostly young and spirited, and he might have to use them all.

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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Sophomore Sophia Bond was selected as the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday afternoon. Bond has now received this honor twice on the season.

Bond helped anchor the Lehigh defense in a 1-1 weekend for the Mountain Hawks. The sophomore from Olathe, Kansas recorded 44 total digs and 4.89 digs per set across Lehigh’s two matches. Bond also added 11 assists and three service aces on the weekend. Bond had 24 digs and six assists against Army West Point and had 20 digs and five assists in Lehigh’s five-set win over Holy Cross.

Bond leads the Mountain Hawks and ranks fourth in the Patriot League with 216 digs while her 4.50 digs per set ranks second in the league. In addition, Bond’s 16 service aces rank seventh in the Patriot League and second on the team.

After playing in four consecutive matches on the road, Lehigh returns to Grace Hall this weekend to face Navy at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 3 and American at 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 4.

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Patriot League Volleyball Players of the Week
Player of the Week– Chloe Murakami, Army West Point
Defensive Player of the Week – Sophia Bond, Lehigh
Rookie of the Week– Emma Sorensen, Holy Cross
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Pep Guardiola admitted he had no choice but to park the bus against Arsenal, and praised Manchester Cityâ€s defensive resilience despite conceding a late equaliser.

A brilliant lob from the substitute Gabriel Martinelli in the third minute of stoppage time cancelled out Erling Haalandâ€s early strike as Mikel Arteta became the first manager to go five consecutive league games unbeaten against his compatriot. City recorded just 32.8% possession at the Emirates – the lowest in a top-flight match for a team managed by Guardiola – in an uncharacteristically backs-to-the-wall display.

It was not quite enough to secure a first victory against Arsenal since April 2023 but the City manager acknowledged his players showed a different side to their game.

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“Our resilience was fantastic, otherwise we couldnâ€t survive,†Guardiola said. “Last season we lost 5-1; today we were close. Itâ€s by far one of the best teams in Europe. I would prefer to play another way, but when we play a lot of games in 10 years [as City manager], the teams defend deep, deep, deep and take a result of fantastic performance, mindset, strategy … Sometimes it happens. You have to defend, honestly. Itâ€s because the opponent is better. When you have to accept it, you have to survive in that way. And we did it.â€

Asked about the possession statistics, he said: “One time in 10 years is not bad, right? I have to prove myself against another strategy. Now I am a transition team.â€

Having finished as runners-up for the past three seasons, Arsenal are five points behind Liverpool, the league leaders, after five games. Arteta refused to accept criticism over his decision to select Mikel Merino ahead of Eberechi Eze after the England forward came off the bench at half-time and set up the equaliser. But he recognised that service must improve to Viktor Gyökeres, after the new £55m striker did not register a shot during the match.

“To have very big open chances is extremely difficult, but heâ€s certainly trying his best and trying to do that, and we have to provide more for him,†Arteta said. “There were a lot of situations when the chances were there and then especially the final pass was missing today.â€

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If the first few days of training camp are anything to go by, the Philadelphia Flyers could have a new-look…

It’s no secret Warriors forward Draymond Green takes pride in his defense. The nine-time All-Defensive player and 2016-17 Defensive Player…