Following Manchester City's 1-1 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on September 21, 2025, Pep Guardiola lauded his team's defensive performance, despite conceding a late equalizer. Gabriel Martinelli's stoppage-time goal prevented City from securing their first victory against Arsenal since April 2023.

Guardiola admitted that he had to "park the bus" against a strong Arsenal side, praising his players' resilience. City had only 32.8% possession, which is the lowest for a Guardiola-managed team in a top-flight match. He acknowledged Arsenal's strength, stating that "Our resilience was fantastic, otherwise we couldn't survive". He further added, "Last season we lost 5-1; today we were close. It's by far one of the best teams in Europe".

Guardiola highlighted the importance of a strong defense, especially against a team like Arsenal. He said that City displayed "exceptional discipline and organization". He acknowledged that while scoring goals is important, a solid defense is the foundation of any successful team.

Despite the praise, Guardiola admitted he did not enjoy watching his team defend for long periods. He said, "No, I suffer, I don't like. I want the ball away, away, away now". He prefers his team to control possession and dictate the game, but he recognized that against a strong opponent like Arsenal, sometimes defending deep is necessary.

Ruben Dias and John Stones were central to Manchester City's defensive strength, demonstrating exceptional positioning and making crucial interceptions and tackles. Manuel Akanji also showcased his versatility in defense, effectively neutralizing threats from Arsenal's attacking players.

Arsenal's manager, Mikel Arteta, acknowledged that his team needed to improve their service to striker Viktor Gyökeres. He felt that there were opportunities to create better chances for him but that the final pass was often missing.

Despite the late equalizer, Guardiola expressed confidence that his team was close to returning to their best form. He pointed to their recent 3-0 victory over Manchester United and their 2-0 win over Napoli in the Champions League as signs of their improvement.