Man City kept up with their title hopes on Sunday as they defeated Arsenal 2-1 in the Etihad stadium much to the delight of manager Pep Guardiola.
It was a game between two managers looking for ways to pile up pressure on league leaders Chelsea, a match meant for the football neutrals, a match meant to deliver goals especially with all the attacking talents on display and it didn't disappoint at all as Arsenal very early in the 5th minute scored, after shady defending from Kolarov and Nicholas Otamendi allowed Theo Walcott to latch on to a Sanchez pass and dispatch the ball beautifully into the net.
Goal!! Man City 0-1 Arsenal
Man City's midfield pairing of Yaya Toure and Fernando was just too slow and passive to control Arsenal's attacking midfield trio of Walcott, Alex Iwobi nd Ozil and Arsenal as a result enjoyed more possession and penetration in the first 15 minutes.
De Bruyne in the 22nd minute had a one-off movement and blasted the ball over the bar as Guardiola instructed his men to push further forward.
For every Man city fan watching their club lose to Arsenal so early was 'hard watching' in as much as their win over Watford was hard labour, Guardiola who has had his name and pedigree questioned following recent poor results, needed a reaction, and surely he hoped his boys could do the needful.
Arsenal had another chance to increase the scoreline after some wonderful interplay between Bellerin and Walcott, but the Englishman ballooned over the bar.
De Bruyne had an appeal for penalty rejected by referee Atkinson as he fell in the penalty box and the corner resulting from an Arsenal counter attack was nodded wide by Theo Walcott. Arsenal kept the ball alive with much quicker movement and looked more dangerous in the break as Iwobi, Sanchez, Ozil, Walcott all combined beautifully well.
If Man City had any plans of penetrating Arsenal's defence, they should have done something different, as Arsene Wenger's men wwere simply bossing proceedings and making a mockery of Man City's ponderous back line.
Halftime: Man City 0-1 Arsenal!! Arsenal had less possession than Man city but were simply not doing enough when they had the ball, that was the difference
between both teams.
Arsenal came back for the second half with their team intact while Man City made one substitution, replacing Zabaleta with Bacary Sagna as Man City aimed to get a foothold of the game.
And then the second goal of the game came, and in likewise fashion- a counter attack initiated by Sterling in the second minute of the second half fell into David Silva's legs and the Spaniard chipped a pass to youngster Sane who handsomely placed the ball into the net.
Goal!! Man City 1-1 Arsenal..
City were playing with more poise and panache in the second half and it seemed whatever Guardiola told them in the dressing room was working. They had more speed and more penetration with the ball, leading Arsenal to have all 11 players defending in their own half in the first 15 minutes of the second half.
More fast paced footbal continued, De Bruyne releases Sane perfectly and goalkeeper Cech punched the resulting shot away for corner. The Etihad by this time was resounding and reverberating, Man City fans sensed the match was there for the taking and the players played in like manner. Leroy Sane's pace and movement was causing problems for Arsenal's defence, he was just bull dozing and making menacing runs everywhere and Arsenal had no answer for him.
Arsene Wengr reactd, replacing the tired Alex Iwobi with Oxlade Chamberlain, then De Bruyne had a shot deflected by Xhaka, that was well punched away by goalkeper Cech. Arsenal fumbled again and Cech had to come out to clear the lines. This was football madness happening and it looked like sooner or later Arsenal would concede another goal.
Goal!!
Sterling, a one man wrecking force, drifted to the right and shot powerfully into the net after De Bruyne's long marvelous pass.
Man City 2-1 Arsenal..
Guardiola looked relieved, it looked like his days of criticism were now well and truly over but don't write off the old and experienced Arsene Wenger yet. He reacted- sending in Giroud to come and do what he knows how to do best. Could Giroud now be the maverick goal machine the Gunners needed so desperately? Jesus Navas was then introduced while Sane was removed by an City manager- more goals as part of the plan by Guardiola? Maybe.
Ten minutes to go and Arsenal were trying to get an attacking grip on the game while Guardiola with no intention to stop attacking, introduced 20 year old Kelechi Iheanacho for De Bruyne.
Pep Guardiola was still animated in the touchline, urging his team to keep the ball more and avoid unnecessary ball losses, Arsene Wenger wanted more, but that 'more' was for another day!
Full time! Man City 2-1 Arsenal
More photos from the match below.
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