Right, I’m off. It was, for 45 minutes, spellbindingly magnificent. As such, we’ll charitably forget the second half. Arsenal had the blue lines, Manchester City had the massive attack. Here’s a match report. Bye!
Updated
Pep Guardiola speaks. He is happy.
It’s so difficult to win two games in a row in four days, against a team like Arsenal. And we did it. The weather conditions were so tough, the pitch as well. The first 15, 20 minutes was not really good, but it was so important today, so, so important. We win, we have another step forward. We need five wins to be champions. The goals were so good, and also Ederson was outstanding, saving the penalty. Arsenal are able to create chances from nothing in 10, 15 minutes. The way we started the second half was poor, really poor, but sometimes it’s not easy to be focused. I can understand. In the end, when we were able to make 15 passes in a row, after that we were able to control the game.
Again, sometimes we create a lot of chances and don’t score a goal. Today, first one Bernardo scored an amazing goal. Three, four chances we scored three goals. We did our job, that is important. We have tough, tough fixtures.
Leroy Sane talks about Pep Guardiola:
He always tries with every player, also with me, to give all 100% what you have, that you don’t rest, and every training session, every game, that you give all the best. I improve so much with him. I think every player in our squad can tell you that. He’s a really good coach and tries always to see where you can improve. He sees mistakes and helps you straight away.
Manchester City last did the double over Arsenal in 1975-76. This year they’ve done the treble over them.
The history boys:
Arsenal made no substitutions in a Premier League game for the first time since December 2013 v Chelsea.
— Orbinho (@Orbinho) March 1, 2018
Manchester City go 16 points clear, and know that they can lose half of their 10 remaining games and still win the title.
The players go off, to further boos from the handful of disgruntled Arsenal fans that have hung around. “I can’t believe I’m more excited for Arsenal Fan TV then I am for the disaster that is Arsenal’s bounce back game,” writes Dave Gardner. “Sad times.”
Final score: Arsenal 0-3 Man City
90+3 mins: The second half was as forgettable as the first was memorable. It is now over, and we can go back to watching replays of those goals.
90+1 mins: There will be two minutes of stoppage time. Arsenal win a free kick on the right, which Mkhitaryan kicks straight into the nearest defender.
90 mins: “What do you think, should Arsene resign now in the hopes that the Gunners might get a Bould Bounce before the end of the season?” wonders Matthew Turner. I’m not sure that Wenger leaving at this stage would be any better than him staying.
89 mins: Gundogan goes on a random run forward, the ball eventually being stolen off his toes and deflected to Jesus, whose shots is blocked and bounces to De Bruyne, whose shot is also blocked.
87 mins: The official attendance is 58,420, which presumably includes stewards, absent season-ticket holders and visiting lapwings.
86 mins: City engage in an extended spell of keep-ball, which finally ends with a throw-in, and a final substitution – Gabriel Jesus replaces David Silva.
82 mins: Yaya Toure comes on for Sergio Aguero.
Updated
81 mins: Bernardo Silva picks up a loose ball outside his own penalty area, and runs straight out of play. The visitors have taken their eye off the ball this half. It is freezing cold, windy and snowing, and they are already three up, so you can probably excuse it.
78 mins: A chance! The ball is played through to Aguero, who runs into the area, on the right-hand side, and hits a hard, low shot across goal, but Cech gets down well to shovel the ball away.
75 mins: There has been nothing to warm us since the penalty except our memories of the first half. David Silva runs with the ball towards the area, and then plays an absolutely hopeless pass straight to Koscielny.
Idea: Arsenal should move to a smaller more compact stadium down the road
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) March 1, 2018
71 mins: A substitution: Kyle Walker is walking uncomfortably to the sidelines, and Oleksandr Zinchenko is coming on.
71 mins: Remarkable. City can’t string two passes together. Rubbish. Boo! “Just a quick comment on Sachin Paul’s lazy analogy,” writes Antoni Gorny. “1. the 8-2 was away; 2. Arsenal played a severely weakened side (remember Traore and Jenkinson at full-back); 3. the penalty came at 1-0, the first half ended 3-1. Not only that, but back then, Arsenal were as woeful on the pitch as the scoreline suggested. Today, Arsenal are decent, but the score (philosophically speaking) remains the same.”
66 mins: City haven’t done very much this half. At times in the first half they approached perfection – players making the right runs, playing the right passes, at the right times – but this has been an error-strewn 20 minutes from them. This, though, is a remarkable record:
11 - Manchester City have saved 11 of the last 19 penalties they have faced in all competitions (excludes penalty shootouts). Intimidating. pic.twitter.com/zF0ZcQeTzc
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 1, 2018
61 mins: The good news for Aubameyang: the last time he took a penalty against Ederson, it was even worse (thanks to Nelson Calvinho for the reminder). So, he’s improving …
58 mins: Arsenal continue to dominate. The ball is chipped up to Aubemayang, who volleys just wide from the edge of the area. That would have been another cracker. Sachin Paul emails: “Shades of the 8-2 game,” he notes. “Arsenal were 3-0 down, got a penalty, Van Persie’s effort was saved by De Gea. What happened next is history. Will City be as ruthless? Or will Guardiola be merciful on Wenger and ask his players to take it lightly?”
55 mins: The ball is played back to Cech, who is closed down by De Bruyne. The goalkeeper takes a touch, weighs up his options, and then hits it into De Bruyne! The bounce, though, is lucky, and it bobbles to safety.
Arsenal miss their penalty!
53 mins: Aubameyang places the ball on the spot. He takes a few paces back. He strolls up to the ball, sidefoots it feebly to his right, and having gone the right way Ederson can hardly fail to save it!
Updated
Arsenal have a penalty!
Bellerin passes to Mkhitaryan, inside the penalty area, and Otamendi sticks out a leg in an attempt to get to the ball first. But he’s beaten to it, makes contact with the player, and the referee points to the spot!
49 mins: Arsenal – whisper it – are bossing these early second-halfly exchanges. They haven’t looked likely to create anything, but they are prodding purposefully.
46 mins: Peeeep! They’re off! Again!
The players are back out. More liquid football, please, sirs.
Honestly, the three goals City have scored tonight, they are ridiculous. They are just delicious. I’m just trying to savour them, to drink them in, to commit them to memory so, in idle moments, I can replay them in my mind.
“I do think people are being harsh on Arsenal,” writes Robert Johnson. “City are playing astoundingly well: that’s the real story. Arsenal fans are too entitled and unrealistic to assume they have a right to beat City. It’s just one of those days – attacking-wise City can do no wrong. But the Arsenal players are trying, and, in chess terms, they do have counterplay: surely that’s as much as you can ask.”
Four shots on target each in the first half. Pretty even.
— Orbinho (@Orbinho) March 1, 2018
David Silva’s first touch before he scored the second goal – I am drooling on my desk here.
“I think the only reason City won’t reach double figures will be some combination of just getting tired of scoring and mercy,” says JR.
Is it possible to substitute the manager at half time?
— Sam (@omfgsam) March 1, 2018
A request expressed so eloquently I have little choice but to comply.
Hi @Simon_Burnton is there any chance you can not voice Piers Moron's nonsense tweets. Following this is already like being punched in the face repeatedly, no need to hold me down and fart on my head too.
— Brendan (@almostadequate) March 1, 2018
Half time: Arsenal 0-3 Manchester City
45+3 mins: More boos as the players head to the tunnel. The punishment, for now, is over.
Updated
45+2 mins: Mustafi passes the ball right to Bellerin, who lets it run under his foot. City throw-in.
45+1 mins: There will be two minutes of stoppage time, or thereabouts. It starts with Xhaka pummelling another shot goalwards from distance, which Ederson catches.
42 mins: Arsenal nearly almost have a chance! Ramsey tricks his way between two defenders and passes to Aubameyang, who is facing the wrong way so plays back to Mkhitaryan, whose shot is blocked.
@Simon_Burnton It's hard to imagine how Arsenal have become so unwilling to fight let alone try to win anything this season. And yet it's a home game...
— Lion J. Mutongah (@jmutongah) March 1, 2018
41 mins: I think Arsenal are playing better than they did on Sunday, at least in attack. In defence, Kolasinac is struggling pretty badly – but the goals have all been incredibly good.
0-3. This is the worst I have ever seen any Arsenal team play. Disgraceful. #WengerOUT
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 1, 2018
39 mins: Save! City have failed to score with a shot on target! Arsenal are sliced and diced again, and De Bruyne’s low cross finds Aguero, who turns it goalwards – but hits Cech.
38 mins: Ramsey has a shot from the edge of the area, which Danilo charges down. The Arsenal man wants a penalty, claiming the ball hit Danilo’s hand, but the referee shakes his head, and replays suggest he was right to do so.
3 - Arsenal have conceded three goals in the first half of a Premier League home game for the first time ever. Overwhelmed. pic.twitter.com/BGR7ok0X7f
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 1, 2018
37 mins: The lad’s got a point.
Im sorry but we are so good 😱
— Benjamin Mendy (@benmendy23) March 1, 2018
34 mins: The latest goal is created by Aguero’s brilliant first touch on the right, and from there City tear through the remnants of Arsenal’s defence with pace and precision, and it ends with Sane getting his boot to a low cross and sending the ball trickling slowly into the net.
Updated
GOAL! Arsenal 0-3 Man City (Sane, 33 mins)
This is remarkable. Find a television and turn it on. If you don’t subscribe to the right channel, do it now. Pay whoever you need to pay. This is phenomenal from City – and you can make this seven out of seven.
6 - Manchester City have now scored with each of their last six shots on target against Arsenal in all competitions. Clinical. pic.twitter.com/iax4ZdQDRU
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 1, 2018
32 mins: Kolasinac stands on Bernardo Silva’s ankle, and gets booked.
GOAL! Arsenal 0-2 Man City (David Silva, 28 mins)
Well that’s just too good. Sane’s involved again, collecting the ball from David Silva on the left, checking back, turning forward again, passing low to Aguero, whose first-time ball to David Silva is beautifully taken under control, which does for Bellerin, and then battered past Cech. It’s a great goal, and boos ring out at the Emirates.
Updated
26 mins: Aguero wins a free kick on the left with an exaggerated fall and squeal after a pretty fluffy Xhaka challenge. De Bruyne’s centre is viciously curling and dipping, and Cech nervously pushes it out into a dangerous area, whereupon Aguero is ruled offside.
25 mins: I like this statistic. This is a good statistic.
Three Arsenal v Man City games this season
— Orbinho (@Orbinho) March 1, 2018
Arsenal eight shots on target one goal
City nine shots on target seven goals
23 mins: Bellerin goes down the right, is tackled, gets up, picks the ball up again and spots Ramsey just inside the area. His pass is a bit behind his team-mate, who has to control, spin and shoot. He does so well enough, and his shot would have looked better had Ederson not plucked it out of the air with almost insulting ease.
Updated
20 mins: From the free kick, at least 35 yards out, Xhaka slams a low, hard shot towards the corner and Ederson dives to his left to tip it round the post.
19 mins: Arsenal spring a break, and Otamendi puts an end to it by bodychecking Welbeck as the forward threatened to break clear. He gets a yellow card.
18 mins: That really was a fabulous goal. Absolutely delicious. Now, can Arsenal respond?
Manchester City have scored seven goals from just nine shots on target against Arsenal this season.
— Orbinho (@Orbinho) March 1, 2018
GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Manchester City (Bernardo Silva, 15 mins)
And from nowhere, a goal! Leroy Sane picks the ball up on the left wing, dribbles past three players, hurdles a challenge and passes across the area to Bernardo Silva, who checks onto his left foot and curls the ball into the far post! Excellent work from Sane, and a fabulous shot at the end of it.
Updated
13 mins: Then Welbeck flies in to win the ball from Danilo, it’s worked across the area and Mkhitaryan hits a low, hard shot from 20 yards straight at Ederson.
12 mins: Arsenal work the ball from deep into their own half into their opponents’ with a very pleasing array of rat-a-tat passing. They then lose it, but that was good, bright, composed stuff.
9 mins: And City run up the other end, where Aguero sprints into space on the right of the area and blasts a shot into the side netting.
8 mins: Mkhitaryan plays in Ramsey, on the right of the penalty area, and his hard, low centre hits Kompany and cannons into Ederson, and away.
7 mins: Ramsey’s pass into the penalty area is just too strong for Aubameyang, and Ederson falls upon it.
6 mins: A bit of prelimary sparring going on. City have already played a couple of long crossfield passes to Sane, lingering wide on the left, but are yet to threaten Arsenal’s penalty area.
2 mins: Ederson races out to head away a ball played through for Aubameyang to run onto.
2 mins: There are lots of empty seats at the Emirates tonight. Bits of it look as sparsely populated as the Arsenal end at Wembley at the final whistle on Sunday.
Updated
1 min: Peeeeeep! They’re off!
Guardiola comes out just before kick-off, and Arsene Wenger collars him for quite an intense and lengthy chat.
The players are out, and the pitch couldn’t look more pristine. Those blue lines look more like a Massive Attack tribute than a practical necessity tonight.
Pep Guardiola has had his pre-match chat, first on his team’s build-up to the game, which involved a train down from Manchester this afternoon:
Normally when we play away, especially in London, we travel on the same day. There are a lot of games, and I prefer people stay at home than at hotels. Tonight, I don’t know. After winning the cup, if we’re still focused or not. I don’t have doubt about the players, but there are still a lot of games to play, tough games, against teams that play for the league, for qualification for the Europa League or Champions League. We have to win games, not wait for what is going to happen, and today is the first one.
This is presumably because Sunday’s shirts are still in the wash.
The lads will be donning our third kit at Arsenal tonight! 👌 #afcvcity pic.twitter.com/wkejHjWq8u
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 1, 2018
I do believe that this is a lapwing on the Emirates Stadium pitch. According to the RSPB:
Lapwings are found on farmland throughout the UK particularly in lowland areas of northern England, the Borders and eastern Scotland. In the breeding season prefer spring sown cereals, root crops, permanent unimproved pasture, meadows and fallow fields. They can also be found on wetlands with short vegetation. In winter they flock on pasture and ploughed fields. The highest known winter concentrations of lapwings are found at the Somerset Levels, Humber and Ribble estuaries, Breydon Water/Berney Marshes, the Wash and Morecambe Bay.
In other words, they don’t normally hang out in north London.
Arsene Wenger talks, initially about whether his side need to show a bit more fight tonight:
Not only fighting – playing. We’re playing against a side where we need to show quality. That’s why we need to combine both. We’re angry because we lost the final and what it takes is the desire to respond. These guys are proud and want to win their games. There have been questions after the final but we played against a good side. In a final you need to fight, and after you need to accept that you can win or lose. We want to attack, of course, and we played a bit more cautious at Wembley and tonight we’ll see if we are more comfortable in a back four. Jack Wilshere, I think he’s not available tonight but he has a chance to be available on Sunday. He played two games and gave a lot and was a bit short yesterday, had to move out of training, but he should be back on Sunday.
City make two changes to the side that won the Carabao Cup, with Ederson returning in goal and Bernardo Silva replacing Fernandinho. Arsenal bring in Cech, Kolasinac, Mkhitaryan and Welbeck. Ospina, Wilshere, Chambers and Monreal are out.
Both teams are without important and injured midfielders: Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere, probably their best player on Sunday, is crocked, as is City’s Fernandinho.
The teams!
Great news! The 3,000 stewards have turned up, and the game is definitely happening. Better than that, we know exactly who’s going to be playing – and it’s this lot:
Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Kolasinac, Ramsey, Xhaka, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Welbeck, Aubameyang. Subs: Ospina, Holding, Iwobi, Chambers, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Nketiah.
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Danilo, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Silva, Bernardo Silva, Agüero, Sane. Subs: Bravo, Stones, Laporte, Gabriel Jesus, Zinchenko, Toure, Foden.
Referee: Andre Marriner.
📋 Here's how we line up for tonight's game against @ManCity#AFCvMCFC pic.twitter.com/CrpvDkQT0p
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) March 1, 2018
Say hello to your @HaysWorldwide #afcvcity City line-up! pic.twitter.com/I5YPgDFizI
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 1, 2018
Hello world!
And so to the long-awaited clash between Arsenal and Manchester City, two giants of the English game, a meeting that is particularly hotly awaited by football fans worldwide because it is now over four days since they last played each other. Surely the last thing Arsenal needed having been so emphatically and humiliatingly outclassed in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley was another game against the same opponents. If only they could be saved from such a fate, perhaps by a sudden blast of sub-zero temperatures, a massive snow dump and consequent transport chaos.
«phone rings»
Hello? It’s who? The genie from popular Disney animation Aladdin? You’ve bumped into Arsène Wenger and done what?
Despite the snowfall, the latest from Arsenal is that “unless there is a further announcement, the match is on”. But it is apparently dependent on the safe arrival of the 3,000 stewards necessary to meet minimum health and safety standards for such a fixture. In the meantime, ground staff have been getting out their novelty paint colours, just in case more snow arrives and renders the old-fashioned white lines invisible:
Arsenal will have Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who was cup-tied on Sunday, back in the squad and will also benefit from the morale-boost that comes from an unpredictably amazing head-to-head record against City: they have lost only one of their last 32 (that’s thirty-two) home league games against the Citizens, winning 20 (twenty). Among rational adult footballers this morale boost is probably inconsequentially small, but still. Every little counts.
Updated
