Tensions flared following the most recent clash between Manchester City and Arsenal. Erling Haaland confronted Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta, telling him to “stay humble,” while also hurling sharp remarks at Gabriel Jesus, calling him a “clown”. Bernardo Silva added his thoughts, suggesting that Arsenal aren’t on the same level as other rivals Liverpool. These fiery exchanges likely contributed to a drop in these Man City players’ respective Goalden View Popularity Ranking (GVPR) points this week. Interestingly, Manuel Akanji experienced a much more drastic decline in the GVPR, falling 47 places and losing 7,113 points. So, what’s behind Akanji’s rating drop compared to his teammates?
In the Champions League clash against Inter, Manchester City debuted their fourth jersey, a design inspired by Oasis. Akanji expressed his appreciation for the design and looked forward to wearing it, but then leaned on the excuse that the shirt design was confusing, causing him to play a misplaced pass. This comment may have played a role in his points drop, as it may have been negatively misinterpreted, particularly by fans of the iconic band.
On another occasion, Akanji “couldn’t stop crying his heart out” as he criticized Arsenal’s style of play, accusing their players of always looking for drama when Manchester City faces them and claiming they employ the “dark arts” of football through time-wasting tactics. The Swiss defender didn’t hold back, stating that the North Londoners seemed overly pleased with the point they gained, viewing it as a positive rather than seeing it as two points dropped. His comments, which may have come off as bitter about the result, could explain the large decline in his points and ranking spot this week in the GVPR. By arguing that Arsenal are masters of the dark arts and timewasters, he was subtly suggesting they were cheating, an insinuation which may not have sat well with many fans.
With Akanji calling out Arsenal’s time-wasting tactics and the increasing conversation around the “dark arts” of football, he may have put himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. This raises the question: Will Akanji “look back in anger” on the hit his GVPR took this week? Or is it all part of “The Masterplan”?