Defining Moments: Man City 0-2 Arsenal

As another season draws to a close, Arsenal can look back with pride on a campaign that offers genuine cause for optimism.

Per Mertesacker was a near ever-present throughout 2014/15, and here he explains some of his defining moments from the past 10 months.

January 18, 2015: Manchester City 0-2 Arsenal
Arsene Wenger called it the performance of the season, and it is easy to see why. Having been questioned about their ability to deliver in the biggest games away from home, the Gunners gave a display of such calm authority that it led many to question their presumptions about the team.

With Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla controlling the midfield, Arsenal took a fresh approach by relinquishing possession and attempting to catch the champions on the break with rapid counter-attacks. Arsene Wenger’s gameplan worked to perfection, Cazorla and Olivier Giroud scoring the goals that secured a landmark result. Wenger credited it as a vital stage in the development of his team, who would later go to Manchester United to win in the FA Cup and draw in the Premier League.

“We were more compact than the season before and we felt more comfortable,” Mertesacker told Arsenal Player. “We managed it right and we felt as a squad, and as a unit that we were well prepared but you could feel on the pitch that we felt comfortable with the situation.

"We defended together and attacked together. You can talk about a lot of things, but you have to come together on the pitch and feel good about the situation. That was the case at Man City and that was different to what we did last season. That was a good turning point mentally to see that we can perform well together as a unit away from home."