Arsenal 0-3 Manchester City: A Dominant Display at the Emirates

Manchester City put on a fantastic performance at the Emirates as they thoroughly beat Arsenal 3-0.

In what was expected to be a high-scoring affair, Manchester City were defensively solid and played brilliantly going forward in a comfortable 3-0 victory over Arsenal.

Kevin de Bruyne set the tone early, thrashing the ball into the top corner on a cutback before another long-range finish and assist for Raheem Sterling gave the Belgian a Man of the Match performance.

Arsenal had an early chance through Gabriel Martinelli, but posed little threat going forward, something many did not expect. They looked limp and without any real structure or patterns of play, just waiting for City to slice them open, which they did often. This scoreline easily could have been four or five, and Freddie Ljungberg’s interim reign in North London is already showing signs of failure as the club search for the long term replacement to Unai Emery.

From a City perspective, however, this is a fantastic result. The Blues gained two points on second-place Leicester City, and now trail the Foxes by four points. Although Arsenal were clearly there for the taking given their defensive issues and City’s attacking excellence, the fact that they managed a clean sheet for the first time since October in all competitions against such a potent attack speaks volumes.

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Although the title may be gone, closing the gap to second should be a key focus for Pep Guardiola’s men as they prepare for the Champions League Round of 16 in February. This win may say more about the current state of Arsenal than a true test of City’s mettle at the back, but it is surely a step in the right direction, and a point from which they can build on moving forward. Regardless of the state of the two clubs, today’s result remains a dominant away win against a traditional Big Six opponent, and for City, it could be a return to business as usual as the festive period continues.