Arsenal 0-3 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola celebrates 100th game in style
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It was a case of déjà vu as Manchester City swatted aside Arsenal 3-0 in Pep Guardiola’s 100th game in charge on Thursday night.
After meeting in the Carabao Cup final four days earlier, where City triumphed 3-0, a huge gulf between the two sides was on show again in freezing conditions at the Emirates Stadium.
Guardiola’s side raced into their 3-0 lead inside 33 minutes with a spell of attacking football that oozed quality and style, summed up by goals from Bernardo Silva (15), David Silva (28) and Leroy Sane (33).
Arsenal created opportunities but were wasteful in front of goal as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed a penalty (53).
The win sends City 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League and means they have already matched Arsenal’s points tally of 75 from last season with 10 games still to play.
Player Ratings
Arsenal: Cech (6), Bellerin (5), Koscielny (6), Mustafi (6), Kolasinac (6), Xhaka (5), Ramsey (6), Mkhitaryan (6), Ozil (6), Welbeck (6), Aubameyang (5)
Subs: N/A
Man City: Ederson (8), Walker (7), Kompany (7), Otamendi (7), Danilo (7), Gundogan (7), D Silva (8), De Bruyne (8), B Silva (8), Aguero (8), Sane (9).
Subs: Zinchenko (6), Toure (6), Jesus (6)
Man of the match: Leroy Sane
Subs: N/A
Man City: Ederson (8), Walker (7), Kompany (7), Otamendi (7), Danilo (7), Gundogan (7), D Silva (8), De Bruyne (8), B Silva (8), Aguero (8), Sane (9).
Subs: Zinchenko (6), Toure (6), Jesus (6)
Man of the match: Leroy Sane
Those that made the trip down the M6 from Manchester were rewarded for their commitment with a fantastic opening period from their team.
Sane danced his way down the left wing before pinging a pass out to Bernardo Silva, who took a touch and curled a wondrous effort into the top corner on 15 minutes.
If the first was good, the second goal was even better as Arsenal were cut open again by Sane down the left. He turned Henrikh Mkhitaryan inside and out, before finding Sergio Aguero in the box. The striker waited before playing a perfect pass to David Silva, who finished past Petr Cech.
Team news
Arsene Wenger made four changes with Jack Wilshere nowhere to be seen, having completed 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup final. According to the club, he was nursing a knee injury. Manchester City changed two from the Carabao Cup final. Claudio Bravo dropped back to the bench with Ederson and the injured Fernandinho was replaced by Bernardo Silva.
The searing nature of City’s attacking did not relent and Sane got his deserved goal on 33 minutes. This time City attacked down their right and some amazing one-touch interplay between Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne ended with Sane poking home at the back post.
Arsenal were given a golden opportunity to stage an unlikely comeback just after the break when Nicolas Otamendi fouled Mkhitaryan in the box, kicking through the back of his legs. However, Aubameyang hit the penalty far too close to Ederson, who dived to his left and parried the ball clear.
As the temperature started to drop, so did Arsenal’s belief and City strolled through the remainder of the match.
Arsene Wenger sits head bowed
Man of the match: Leroy Sane
Rarely has one man ran a team so ragged like Sane did in the first-half. He was the catalyst for all City’s attacking brilliance, playing a huge part in the opening two goals before netting the third himself. This was by far his best performance since returning from ankle ligament trouble. His manager agreed.
Guardiola said: “In the first game he came back he wasn’t top, but today was the first time he’s been back and played quality. The first goal was a brilliant action and he scored the third. He played a really good game.”
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