Gibbs - Money won’t guarantee City success

Two of Arsenal’s brightest young talents are confident that Manchester City can be kept at bay this season.

Johan Djourou and Kieran Gibbs have both risen through the ranks at Emirates Stadium and in many ways embody Arsène Wenger’s policy of developing teenage hopefuls into first-team regulars.

Man City have chosen a very different path, using the wealth of their new owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group, to buy big names with big reputations.

Robinho set the standard when he left Real Madrid for Eastlands last summer and a stellar cast including Gareth Barry, Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure have since joined him.

As a result Mark Hughes’ team have been tipped for a top-four finish – possibly at the expense of Arsenal – but Djourou and Gibbs have other ideas. Speaking at a Q&A at Members’ Day on Tuesday, the Arsenal duo insisted that money would not guarantee success for City.

“I think they have the chance to do well because they have gained some top-class players like Adebayor, Toure and Barry,” said Djourou. “They have got a chance but it is down to us and other teams to stop that happening.

“Football is becoming an industry with a lot of money but we have seen that it doesn’t always bring success. You can buy lots of players but those players have to fight for each other and play as a team.

“We have that at Arsenal - we are young guys and we fight for each other and I’m sure we will finish in the top four at the very least.”

Gibbs agreed. “Man City are spending a lot of money at the moment but it doesn’t always give you the answer,” he said.

“I think our manager has a good eye and he can see quality in our players. If he keeps on spending the right way and we all stick together, nothing can hold us back. We’ll fight for everything.”