Manchester City played with 4-4-2 and 2 different 3-3-4 line up.
In the set defences, they played with 4-4-2 line up. Cancelo was the right back, Walker was the right centre stopper, Ake was the left full back, Foden came to the left wing and Sterling came to the Agüero’s beside.
When they were pressing into the away third, they played with 3-3-4 line up. Ake was the left stopper, Walker was the right stopper, Cancelo came to the right centre midfielder position.
In the set attacks and making games from the defense, they played with a different 3-3-4. Rodri came to the Ruben Dias’ beside, Ake was the left wing back. Sterling and Agüero played in the false 9 role. When one of them closed to the midfield, the other one closed to the opponent’s defense line.
Arsenal played with 3-4-3 line up. Willian played in the false 9 role.
When Manchester City was trying to make game, Sterling or Agüero came to the midfield and when they came, Manchester City had numerical advantage with 3 vs 2 in the centre midfield.
Manchester City’s game plan was great about attacking and defending. Arsenal couldn’t make game and Manchester City controlled the game.
When Arsenal was trying to make game from the defense, Arsenal played with like a 4-2-4 line up. Tierney became the left full back and he and Bellerin came to the wings, Saka came to the left half-space.
When Manchester City was pressing in the away third, Agüero marked Ceballos with shadow marking, Sterling marked Xhaka. And because of Agüero’s marking style, he could press David Luiz quickly. He didn’t take position too far away from David Luiz. Foden and Mahrez took position in the half-spaces, so they could cover Arsenal’s full backs and stoppers at the same time.
In the centre midfield Cancelo’s role was marking Saka. He didn’t let him take the ball easily. Bernardo Silva’s and Rodri’s roles were different. They covered midfield where there was space for the opponent. Bernardo Silva took position in the Ceballos few metres behind. He and Agüero took Ceballos between us. Rodri usually covered Willian. When Willian closed to midfield to take the ball, Rodri closed to him and covered him.
Also he helped Cancelo to cover Saka. Sometimes Cancelo couldn’t cover Saka or because of the moment’s position Saka could be free. And this time Rodri covered Saka.
In this position, Mahrez can’t close to Tierney quickly and when Tierney takes the ball, Cancelo closes to him and Rodri closes to Saka.
Also Arsenal couldn’t make game from the wings. In the right wing, Foden covered Bellerin and Ake covered Pepe very well.
In the left wing, Mahrez covered Tierney, Cancelo covered Saka, Walker covered Aubameyang.
And this is Manchester City’s all the players’ pressing positions. Ceballos is marking with 2 players, Mahrez is marking Gabriel and Tierney at the same time and Dias isn’t marking anybody.
They could mark Ceballos very well and Arsenal couldn’t make game from centre. But Manchester City’s pressing wasn’t perfect numerically on all pitch. Dias wasn’t marking anybody and because of that Mahrez had to mark Gabriel and Tierney at the same time. The numerical advantage caused a numerical disadvantage at the other place. So Arsenal could make game from the left wing.
So when Gabriel took the ball, Mahrez pressed Gabriel. And when he closed to Gabriel, this time Tierney could be free. So this time Cancelo closed to Tierney but this time Saka was free. And Rodri closed him. But when they changed their positions, Arsenal’s one player could be free. And sometimes Cancelo couldn’t defend against Saka greatly or when Saka matched with Rodri, he could pass him with his speed easily.
In this position, Mahrez is taking position in close to centre.
When Xhaka is passing to Tierney, Cancelo is closing to Tierney.
Then Saka is taking the ball and Rodri is closing to him. Saka is passing him easily and shoot but Ederson can save.
Arsenal could use Willian when they tried to make game from the left wing. Because when Rodri closed to Saka, Willian could be free because his marker was Rodri. But this time Bernardo Silva closed to Rodri and didn’t let him take the ball easily.
In this position, Tierney is dribbling from the left wing and Cancelo is closing him, Rodri is closing Saka.
So Rodri can’t cover Willian. But Bernardo Silva is closing to Willian and covering him. So Tierney can’t pass to Willian.
So as a result, Manchester City couldn’t defend perfectly but they could defend. Arsenal could make game sometimes from the left wing but they couldn’t score.
When Arsenal was in set defences, Saka’s role was different. He came to the left centre midfield position and the shape became a 4-3-3. But when Mahrez had enough space in the wing, he closed to the defense line and was a wing back.
In this position, Saka is a part of the 3 centre midfield.
Then when Agüero is pulling Tierney and Gabriel and Mahrez is going to the right wing. Saka is being left wing back and covering Mahrez.
Manchester City didn’t play with amazing attacking or defending power but they controlled the game. Especially in the second half they let Arsenal take the ball and tried to make game.