Bacary Sagna Talks Arsenal and Man City Title Chances

• Sagna On Arsenal
• Sagna On Man City
• Sagna on France
• Premier League Predictions
• Sagna’s Top Manager

Midnite spoke with former Premier League star, Bacary Sagna, who is delighted to see both of his former clubs battle it out for the league title.

The Frenchman revisited some memories he spent with the now-Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, who was his former team-mate. Sagna had no doubt he would become a manager.

But when asked who was the best manager he had played under, his response was the legendary Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, and he spoke on how the Citizens might achieve Champions League glory. He also mentioned how he uses Fruity Slots on a daily basis.

The 39-year-old has kept an eye on his fellow countrymen in the Premier League, he’s confident Wesley Fofana will be worth more than what Chelsea paid for him, and believes Ibrahima Konate will fill the massive gap in Liverpool’s defence with Virgil van Dijk’s injury.

Please read the full interview below:

Sagna On Arsenal

Do you think Arsenal will beat Man City to the Premier League title?

Arsenal are favourites to win the Premier League title, with the point gap already and facing Man City at home in their first game against each other. Man City won't be easy, they're a top team, they have a stronger mentality than the Arsenal squad. I feel that Arsenal are very strong and any player that comes in will have a big impact on the squad.

Arsenal will beat Man City at the Emirates if they play the way they did last season, they only lost in the last minute unexpectedly. The coaches know each other and will both have a game plan, it will be a very interesting team tactically. I can see Arsenal having possession of the ball and putting pressure on Man City, and Man City don't like pressure.

What has been the main reason for Arsenal’s title challenge and improvement from last season?

The coach, the fans and the commitment of the players have been the reason for Arsenal's improvement from last season. The player's commitment is great, everything they do is for each other, the way they defend and attack together, they enjoy the football and play with a smile on their face. It's nice to see Arsenal back at their best.

I love all the players, of course, Bukayo Saka is brilliant with the impact he has on the squad at his young age. Martin Odegaard had so much expectation coming from the Real Madrid academy, no one expected them to do so well and have shown great maturity at a young age. They are strong on and off the pitch, the vibe in the squad is great.

Could you tell Mikel Arteta was going to be a manager of this quality when you played with him?

I could tell Mikel Arteta was going be to a great manager when I played with him. When I used to go around his house to watch football, a game like El Clasico, the first thing he would point out is "They're playing 5-2-3" and would always be really into the games he watched and talked about the tactics. It's a passion for Arteta, like Pep Guardiola, they both eat, drink and live for football. Arteta was a natural leader at Arsenal.

Was Arteta fiery in the dressing room or did he develop a leader’s passion as a coach?

Mikel Arteta was always passionate, before, during halftime and after games. He was that special player that would take the lead of the team, from the first week he joined Arsenal he was comfortable with everyone.

Arteta and Patrice Evra were the best captains I have played with. They had that vibe and words that would make you want to become a better player and motivate you. In difficult situations, they find the words that we have to do better and keep improving. They had that special personality that not everyone had.

What improvements do you see in Arteta from his Man City coaching days?

It was difficult being coached by Mikel Arteta at Man City because he was my friend, I needed to draw a line and respect his job and position. Arteta was a bit laid back while Pep Guardiola was relying on his advice and everything he had to say was usually right, that's why Guardiola took him as a coach. Now Arteta is a first-team coach who has more responsibility and he has to guide everything from A to Z. Arsenal are now a big family, I know that for a fact because I was with them when they came to Dubai. The club is happy and players who love the club have been given the opportunity to play for Arteta.

Would you have liked to play in this Arsenal side? Would you have got into the team over Ben White in your prime?

I haven't retired yet, so I could still play for Arsenal! No, but I would love to play in this current squad because it reminds me of when I joined the club originally, but this team has more atmosphere with the fans with a full Emirates stadium every week.

Bukayo Saka reminds me of Theo Walcott and Hleb because he's fast and he's very good one-on-one. Martin Odegaard reminds me of Cesc Fabregas, he has the same quality, but Odegaard also has the technique of Robin van Persie. Thomas Partey reminds me of Alex Song, both are very good technically, can spot a good pass and both sit in the right place on the pitch. The team is very good.

What player from your time at Arsenal could get into this current squad?

Both the current Arsenal team and the one I was in when I joined had good players, it's hard to pick which is better. Robin van Persie would be great in this current squad, he could play the Arsenal way they play now. It would be amazing to have a combined team of my squad and this current one.

Do Arsenal need another striker like Joao Felix?

Any striker will be welcome to Arsenal, especially after the blow of Gabriel Jesus' injury, it's a big loss because he would put lots of pressure on the opposition defence. I hope Joao Felix can join the club if he is linked, I hope he will have an impact because Arsenal will have a lot of difficult games soon and the season is long.

Is £60 million for Mudryk too much?

£60 million for Mykhailo Mudryk makes sense. I like young prospects, I've watched highlights and videos of him since 2019, and I've praised his quality since. The danger he can create on the one-on-one. The signing makes sense, he could be playing at Arsenal for several years, hopefully, he joins the club and benefits the club's future.

The market now has changed, his age, the position he plays and his contribution to Shakhtar Donetsk and Ukraine is the reason his price tag is high. Mudryk is worth the money.

Mikel Arteta has been criticised for his touchline antics, for example protesting to the fourth official. Do you agree, or think it’s part of the game?

Mikel Arteta's passion on the sidelines is part of the game. Unfortunately, sometimes you have to put pressure on the fourth official to make a fair decision, you have to stand up for yourself and your players. Arteta is trying to defend the club and his players' integrity when he protests to the referees, and he's perfectly right to do so. When you're on the pitch, the passion is different, the adrenaline will make you pressure the referee. People need to remember that everyone on the pitch is a human being and there will be natural reactions.

Kieran Tierney has lost his place to Oleksandr Zinchenko. Should he be looking for a move in the summer, or do they need to have depth like this for a title challenge?

Kieran Tierney should not leave Arsenal, it's a long project. I was in the same situation at Man City when I joined, I was benched more than what I was used to. I took it as a challenge, from the second year I was the most used player alongside Nicolas Otamendi. Tierney needs to fight for his position, he should take the Oleksandr Zinchenko signing in a good way because it will make him work harder and make him better. Life is full of challenges and Tierney is facing one now. He's still young and one of the best in the league, and probably the world in the future if he continues to work hard. Zinchenko brings something different and is a top professional.

Tierney would start for any other Premier League team if he left, most Arsenal players could play for any other team in the league.

How do you see the North London Derby going? Does form go out the window in those games?

Tottenham will be a tricky game because the pressure is on Arsenal because of where they are in the league. Tottenham have dangerous players and the North London Derby is a special game, but Arsenal have the better squad, they just need to deal with the pressure. I'm very confident Arsenal can win the game.

Arsenal are the favourites to win the game and will always be the favourites to win the North London Derby. Some respect to Tottenham for the squad and stadium they've created, but Arsenal have the prestige and the better quality over Tottenham.

Was the North London Derby your favourite game to play in?

The 5-2 comeback was my favourite game. We were losing 2-0 but I managed to score the first goal which Mikel Arteta assisted with a cross, and then we managed to score another four goals. It's not easy doing it against any team, especially Tottenham, it was a special day. I'm not sure that will happen again because both teams are good defensively, but we'll see.

What was the biggest difference when you joined Manchester City after leaving Arsenal?

The communication, age and maturity of players was very different at Man City when I left Arsenal. The Arsenal squad was very young and we did not have much experience. We had a great vibe on and off the pitch, but we lacked arrogance, you need the arrogance to win trophies and be a serious team. We did not have enough personality in some games.

When I joined Man City, the team were already Premier League champions, most players had been playing for their national teams, they knew what it took to be champions, they were all focused 30 minutes before a training session which was the most shocking thing. Arsenal needed to adopt that mentality, which they have now, and the intensity has increased. Training at Man City felt very quick and very intense, it was almost like a game and I was not used to it, honestly it made me realise that it's a proper job.

This Arsenal team have the arrogance that my team lacked, they're not scared of anyone. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli both run at the defenders and will try their hardest every time. Granit Xhaka is not scared of tackles and is so determined. The defenders are not afraid of playing out from the back, the whole team is very good and very confident.

Mesut Ozil faced heavy criticism at Arsenal for his consistency. Do you think that was unfair?

Mesut Ozil was treated totally unfairly in his time at Arsenal because all the blame was on him when he played with 10 others. The vibe at the club back then was different, Arsene Wenger left, so Arsenal had to build to become one of the best again. Ozil was a top-quality player and was one of Arsenal's best players a few years ago. When a manager like Arsene Wenger leaves, it will always be a big blow to the team. Man United still have not found their way since Sir Alex Ferguson left. Any big club will need time to recover, I said two years ago Arsenal will be champions soon, now they're one of the best clubs in the world.

You were a success story moving to Man City from Arsenal, Did Alexis Sanchez make a mistake in not joining Man City?

Alexis Sanchez followed his heart, joining Man United was a personal choice. It's hard to adapt to another city when you leave London, and when you move to Manchester, the culture and weather is different. My first year at Man City, I found it hard to adapt, it was a different way of living. I had more opportunities to play than Alexis, maybe because the coach did not favour him.

Would Sanchez have been a Premier League great at Man City? You never know. Joining one team does not mean you will definitely perform.

Sagna On Man City

Man City play Chelsea later, how do you see that game going? Do Man City need to start their winning streak now?

Chelsea is a must-win game for Man City. It will put a lot of pressure on Man City if they don't manage to win today. Soon Arsenal will play Tottenham so this is a very important game for Man City, but it's not easy to go away to Stamford Bridge. I think Man City will win and are the better team at the moment.

Have Manchester City become worse defensively with Haaland in the team?

Man City have not become worse defensively, they still have the ball a lot but they're getting caught on the break, that's what happens when you take risks defensively. Most goals Man City goals concede are counter-attacks, it reminds me of the first season when I joined Man City where we had 70% or 80% possession and still lose. We lost 1-0 to Stoke City despite creating loads of chances and having lots of possession, it was similar to the game against Liverpool where they lost after a counter-attack from a corner kick.

Everyone who faces Man City knows how to play against them, they know where the space is and when to counter-attack. You know it will work for you because other teams have beaten Man City by counter-attacking.

Rank these strikers who have played at your former clubs or France, at their best: Aguero, Haaland, Van Persie, Benzema, Henry

I rank Karim Benzema as the best striker I've seen, then Thierry Henry, Sergio Aguero, Erling Haaland and then Robin van Persie last. Benzema is complete, he is great in the build-up and is clinical in front of the goal.

Erling Haaland is a beast, everything he does ends up as a goal. Everything Haaland does is what a defender hates, pushing, using his body, always in the box and getting in the right areas to receive the ball.

I would love to cross Haaland the ball if I was still at Man City, he would make me look good! He's the type of player who can make an average ball look good. That's the strength of an elite striker, they make a normal cross look amazing, it's a special skill.

The Manchester Derby, do you think Manchester United will want revenge for the 6-3 thrashing earlier in the season?

Man City will win against Man United, they have the better squad. Man United won't be on the same level as Man City, they are too good, it's not being arrogant but they are facing a better team. Man City have the better quality, possession, and mentality, they will win. Erik Ten Hag is a good manager and did extremely well with Ajax. But I know Pep Guardiola, I know how he will prepare for the game.

What was better, the Manchester derby or North London derby?

The North London derby was better than the Manchester derby in my opinion. I had more time to identify myself to the Arsenal team, the people and the city, I knew the importance of winning that game more.

Can you tell us from your point of view why Man City have never done well in the Champions League? Is it down to luck? Or does it feel like a curse?

Last year Man City were caught on the break against Real Madrid. It's a bad habit they have in the Champions League, when they lose it's not about mistakes, they get caught on the counter-attacks. We were vulnerable against Monaco in 2016/17, we had the ball and scored, but we got caught on a quick free-kick and a counter-attack. It's similar to how they went out of the Champions League last year.

Will Haaland break that Champions League curse this season?

Erling Haaland can make the difference in the Champions League, everyone is scared of him. Before Man City could not cross the ball, but now they can and it's a different way of playing. Haaland has already scored sometimes when you thought the cross was not near and he would score acrobatic goals.

We were instructed to cross along the floor when we played with Sergio Aguero, or find a way to him on the floor.

Should Man City focus on winning the FA Cup because of their league position? And would Arsenal not really care about any other competition?

Man City will go for any cup they can win, they won't focus on just the FA Cup, that's the mentality of the club. They won't stop chasing Arsenal until the end. This is why they have the best players, because they want to win something every season.

If Man City don't manage to catch Arsenal, they will want to win the FA Cup so they end up with a trophy this season. The Premier League trophy has more meaning, but a cup is a cup.

Man City will breeze past Chelsea in the FA Cup, they have way better depth and quality in the squad. This game will be a chance for Pep Guardiola and Graham Potter to switch around their teams, and the Man City squad is used to being rotated so they'll be more used to it.

Sagna on France

Is Anthony Martial good enough to be the main striker at Manchester United?

Anthony has another chance to be the main striker at Man United, he has the quality to step up, to create and score goals. It will be up to him to take this opportunity. He's an amazing player but he has always been questioned about his consistency. If I was a coach I would play him every game and show him love, because he needs that support and would deliver.

Will Ibrahim Konate be able to replace Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool now he’s out with a hamstring injury?

Ibrahim Konate has been brilliant since he joined Liverpool and will be able to cover for Virgil van Dijk while he's injured, he had a great World Cup too. The pressure of playing for the national team is the most challenging thing because of the pressure. If he can also handle the pressure of playing for Liverpool, I think he will be amazing.

Should N'Golo Kante stay at Chelsea?

N'Golo Kante has not played a lot this season but he will still have a lot of interest because he's a top player and a top human being. He's given everything for Chelsea, he's won the Premier League and Champions League, it might be time for him to leave.

Do you think Wesley Fofana will be worth his £70 million price tag?

Wesley Fofana is a top player, he will be worth a lot more than the £70 million paid for him. He was doing amazing at Saint-Etienne and Leicester City while having a lot of pressure on his shoulders. He can improve because he's still very young.

Could you tell that Kylian Mbappe was going to be a superstar at 17 years old in those games against Monaco?

I could tell Kylian Mbappe was going to be a superstar when I played against him at Monaco. At 17 years old, he was doing amazing in the French league anyway, breaking loads of records. I remember he was not as happy being in Monaco because he wanted to be a guaranteed starter at 17. I was amazed by his confidence. When I was 17 I was in my bedroom at my parent's house!

Premier League Predictions

Who makes your top four?

My top four is Arsenal, Man City, Newcastle and Tottenham. Liverpool and Man United don't make it in. Tottenham have better consistency, they have not been playing at their best and they're still winning games. The problem Man United have is the pressure on themselves and from the fans, because it feels like the fans are turning against them. Liverpool started the season poorly, they've already dropped too many points to get top four.

Sagna’s Top Manager

Who is the best manager you played under?

Pep Guardiola is the best manager I have played under. Guardiola knew exactly how to play before we stepped onto the pitch. He would analyse a team perfectly, and know people's weaknesses. He would turn our own weaknesses into strengths, and he would control the game, make the game how we want to play, not how to other teams want to play. Guardiola makes you give up your ego because it's all about winning as a team.

Mikel Arteta will become one of the best managers in the world, he's still very young and already one of the best.

I can't see Mikel Arteta leaving Arsenal for Man City when Guardiola leaves, but I can imagine him leaving to manage Barcelona or the Spain national team. I hope he stays and has a legacy like Arsene Wenger because he's taken Arsenal in its worst position possible and has made them shine again.