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29 March 2024

City slickers outgun Premier League leaders Arsenal 6-3

Published
By Football Correspondent with Agencies

Manchester City exposed the first cracks in Arsenal's title challenge, beating the Premier League leaders 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium as their attacking talents cut loose in another free-scoring home display on Saturday.

City, whose early opener from Sergio Aguero was cancelled out by Theo Walcott, opened up a two-goal lead with Alvaro Negredo and Fernandinho efforts either side of halftime.

Arsenal briefly rallied with a superb second from Walcott, but David Silva restored the two-goal lead from close range and Fernandinho poked home his second to maintain City's 100 percent home league record.

Even Per Mertesacker's late consolation for Arsenal was trumped by City as Yaya Toure stroked in a stoppage time penalty.

Arsenal's lead at the top of the table was reduced to three points as City jumped to second, three points behind.

FULL TIME

Manchester City humbled Premier League leaders Arsenal 6-3 with a brilliant all-round performance at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday to maintain their unbeaten record at home this season.

City dominated a pulsating game which lived upto its billing as a title showdown.

"At home we've shown we can score goals. It was end to end and at times the tempo was frightening. We looked to be in control of the game for most of it," said City captain Kompany speaking to BT Sport after the match.

Man City jump to second in the table with 30 points, just three behind Arsenal.

90+5" GOAL! Toure adds insult to injury by converting a penalty after Szczesny clips Milner.

Man City 6 (Aguero 14, Negredo 39, Fernandinho 50, 88, Silva 66, Toure 90+5) Arsenal 3 (Walcott 31, 63, Mertsesacker (90+4)

90+4" GOAL! Mertesacker heads home a superb cross form Sagna but it is too little too late.

Man City 5 (Aguero 14, Negredo 39, Fernandinho 50, 88, Silva 66) Arsenal 3 (Walcott 31, 63, Mertsesacker (90+4)

90" Nasri goes out to a standing ovation as he makes way for Garcia.

89" Bendtner heads past Pantilimon but is flagged offside.

88" GOAL! Ronaldinho slips past Mertesacker to score his second goal and bury the final nail in the Arsenal coffin.

Man City 5 (Aguero 14, Negredo 39, Fernandinho 50, 88, Silva 66) Arsenal 2 (Walcott 31, 63)

87" Nasri slices wide following a cross from Milner.

84" Szczesny blocks a powerful shot from Ronaldinho while City are on the rampage with Nasri weaving through before being broght down by Mertesacker.

80" YELLOW! Kompany is booked for a late challenge on Vermaelen.

79" City are on the attack forcing another corner. Nasri finds Toure but he clashes with Fernandinho and his header goes over.

77" Toure's drivie from 25 yards is just wide of the left post.

76" Arsenal throw in Bendtner as Giroud comes off.

73" Navas hits the side netting afer going round Szczesny and shooting from a tight angle following a breakaway by Nasri.

71" Double substitution as Milner comes in for Silva while Flamini has been replaced by Arsenal with Gnabry.

68" Pantilimon denies Wilshere long range effort with a brilliant save tipping it over the bar.

66" GOAL! City reply swiftly through Silva who latches onto a low cross from Navas to poke it home past a despairiing Szczesny.

Man City 4 (Aguero 14, Negredo 39, Fernandinho 50, Silva 66) Arsenal 2 (Walcott 31, 63)

63" GOAL! Walcott scores his second goal with a superb finish into the top far corner. Arsenal rewarded for their perseverance as Ozil finds Ramsey, who slips it to Walcott in space.

Man City 3 (Aguero 14, Negredo 39, Fernandinho 50) Arsenal 2 (Walcott 31, 63)

59" Arsenal have appeals for a penalty waved away after Zabaleta appeared to handle the ball.

57" Silva plays in Negredo who tries to find Nasri with a clever ball but the pass ends up with Szczesny.

56" Giroud is inches wide with a header after a fine cross from Sagna.

52" Wilshere floats a fine cross to the back post but Giroud shoots wide under pressure from Zabaleta.

50" GOAL! Fernandinho scores his first goal for City after Arsenal give away the ball in a dangerous area, the Brazilian curling it into the corner past Szczesny.

Man City 3 (Aguero 14, Negredo 39, Fernandinho 50) Arsenal 1 (Walcott 31)

49" YELLOW! Silva gets the first booking of the game for a late tackle on Ramsey.

48" Aguero limps off the pitch and Jesus Navas ready to come on.

46" Manchester City get the second half underway enjoying a deserved 2-1 lead Silva almost pulls off another one-two with Negredo but Arsenal defend.

HALF TIME

45+3" Szczesny punches a Negredo cross out of danger before Toure feeds Silva, whose long-range shot blazes high over the bar.

45" A Nasri cross is blocked by Monreal away for a corner which is headed just over the bar by Demichelis.

41" SUBSTITUTE Koscielny departs on a stretcher after sustaining an injury during City's second goal. Thomas Vermaelen replaces him.

39" GOAL! City are back in front courtesy Negredo's strike. Toure finds Zabaleta who then crosses for Negredo to stab it home from close range.

Man City 2 (Aguero 14, Negredo 39) Arsenal 1 (Walcott 31)

35" Kompany blocks a dangerous Monreal cross from the left, with Giroud lurking in the middle.

34" Great chance for Negredo but his effort is just wide of the post.

31" GOAL! Walcott gets the equaliser for Arsenal. Ramsey nicks the ball off Toure and Ozil's cross finds Walcott whose shot trickles past Pantilimon and into the corner.

Man City 1 (Aguero 14) Arsenal 1 (Walcott 31)

30" Monreal goes down under a challenge but the free kick from the left by Walcott is punched away by Pantilimon straight to Ozil who fails to control it.

26" Superb one-two between Toure and Silva has Arsenal on the back foot. Negredo finds Yaya again but the Ivorian fires well over.

23" Arsenal try to find Wilshere but Kompany is in to make the block.

19" Kompany jinks his way past a challenge and plays in Negredo who hits the side netting.

18" Aguero goes down after a challenge from Koscielney but no foul given.

Man City have scored in 58 consecutive Premier League home games, a run stretching back to a 0-0 draw with Birmingham in November 2010.

14" GOAL! Aguero draws first blood for Man City. Nasri's corner is flicked on by Demichelis at the front post and Aguero volleys past Szczesny for his 19th goal of the season.

Man City 1 (Aguero 14) Arsenal 0

13" Sagna whips a cross in from the right but Pantilimon makes a safe catch.

12" Chance for Wilshere goes begging with Walcott causing problems down the Arsenal right.

10" The near post corner is cleared and City break through with Aguero but Arsenal do well to get back and dispossess Fernandinho.

9" Free kick to Arsenal midway into the City half is headed behind by Negredo headed out for a corner following a Gunner's set piece from Fernandinho's foul.

7" Kompany fouls Wilshere by the touchline but City again win it straight back.

6" Negredo sends in a low cross looking for Aguero but Sergio isn't expecting the ball to reach him and Arsenal clear away.

4" City are attacking aggressively forcing consecutive corners on the right. Toure's header from Nasri's centre is wide.

2" City earn the first corner albeit a deflection from Toure which Arsenal clear.

1" City get a free kick as Aguero is tripped.

Arsenal get the blockbuster game of the festive season underway.

The players comes out of the tunnel.

Arsenal are led out by Per Mertesacker who leads the side today.

"Today is a great match for both teams. Arsenal play good football - they are top because they deserve it," said City coach Manuel Pellegrini.

"We are convinced the best way to defend is to have the ball and attack," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

Arsenal's lunchtime game at Manchester City on Saturday could be a defining one for their Premier League title hopes.

The Gunners have a comfortable cushion over second-placed Liverpool, who travel in the opposite direction on Sunday for a clash in North London with sixth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

"We are five points ahead and, overall, the Premier League is a marathon," said Wenger, speaking before his side progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League despite a 2-0 defeat to Napoli on Wednesday that left them facing a potentially tricky last-16 clash.

"We will be in the race no matter what happens."
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City, who surged back from 2-0 down to beat European champions Bayern Munich 3-2 in Germany in their final Champions League group game, are fourth and six points behind Wenger's men.

Despite their position, Arsenal will be the underdogs against a side who remain unbeaten at home in the league this season and see no reason why they cannot at least match Manchester United's 1-0 win over the north Londoners last month.

PLAYING XI

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Wilshere, Ramsey, Ozil, Walcott, Giroud.

Subs: Fabianski, Vermaelen, Arteta, Rosicky, Cazorla, Gnabry, Bendtner

Man City: 'Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy, Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, Nasri, Aguero, Silva, Negredo.

Subs: Hart, Lescott, Kolarov, Garcia, Navas, Milner, Dzeko.