The WILDCARD signing the Premier League title race desperately needs

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 1 Apr 2024 15:02 BST
• 4 min read

Manchester City’s 0-0 draw against Arsenal was a relatively boring affair as two of England’s biggest hitters mustered just three shots on target between them.

Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola both deployed four centre-backs in their defensive line and to say the game was cagey would be understatement.

Credit must go to Arsenal’s centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, who completely nullified Erling Haaland and ended Man City’s run of scoring in 57 consecutive home matches, but the game was a snooze-fest for neutral fans.

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There have been only 11 goals in six games between this season’s top three teams, and that number diminishes to just seven in five matches when excluding Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Liverpool in February.

As football continues to trend away from individual talents and towards a more team-oriented structure, the joy of the game is at serious risk.

Pep Guardiola has already turned Jack Grealish from an unpredictable, exciting attacker who was capable of the extraordinary to a player whose role is almost solely to draw opponents towards him before playing a backwards pass.

READ MORE: Opposition fans all say the same thing as Bukayo Saka limps out of City clash

The 0-0 bore draw between Man City and Arsenal on Sunday was further proof that while the Premier League title race is extremely close, it isn’t exactly a thrilling watch. Liverpool are the outliers, given Jurgen Klopp’s style of play, but even they have fallen into the trap of cagey football when faced against Guardiola’s side.

Ultimately, the English top flight title race needs some entertainment.

The Premier League title race needs Isco

Isco was linked with a move to Man City during his prime at Real Madrid, but his decline at Los Blancos ended any links with a big-money move to the Premier League.

However, he has resurrected his career at Real Betis and is the exact type of player who would lighten up a fairly dull title fight in England.

Football is meant to be joyous and Isco epitomises that. The Spaniard is a typical No.10 and while that position is close to being void in modern football, he is making it work at Betis.

Isco has seven goals and five assists in 30 La Liga and Europa League appearances this season and he has been a joy to watch.

The 31-year-old doesn’t possess raw pace, but he more than makes up for it with his immaculate dribbling technique, his desire to always play forward and his eye for a pass in and around the 18-yard box.

Isco wouldn’t start for any of the top three Premier League clubs, but he is exactly the type of player that could inject some life into the title race next season.