Arsenal 1-2 Manchester City (Saka, 31′; Mahrez (pen) 57′, Rodri 90+3′)
EMIRATES STADIUM — Manchester City came from behind to beat 10-man Arsenal at the Emirates with an injury time winner from Rodri bringing a dramatic end to a pulsating first Premier League game of 2022.
Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal a deserved lead in the first-half with a confidently taken finish, before Riyad Mahrez equalised from the penalty spot in the second and Rodri scored the winner in injury time. The result ensured that City extended their winning run in the Premier League and over Arsenal in the competition to 10 games. The absent Mikel Arteta will have been left hugely frustrated following an encouraging performance from his young side.
Chants of “VAR! VAR! VAR!” rang around the Emirates with 10 minutes on the clock when Ederson’s outstretched left foot sent Martin Odegaard tumbling. Australian VAR Jarred Gillet reviewed the incident and concluded, somewhat contentiously, that the Brazilian got his big toe to the ball first. New year, same old VAR controversy.
Not long after Ruben Dias went close to giving City the lead, beating Aaron Ramsdale to Raheem Sterling’s deep cross but glancing a header fractionally wide of the far post. The Portuguese howled at the sky in frustration and his exasperation was mirrored by Pep Guardiola on the touchline as Arsenal took control of the match, pinning their visitors deep inside their own half.
More from Football
'Ridiculous' Gabriel red card 'effectively threw the game away' for Arsenal against Man City01 January, 2022
English clubs once didn't trust sporting directors - now they've taken over the Premier League01 January, 2022
Guardiola reveals why absent Arteta is Arsenal's 'most important player' as he eyes City record01 January, 2022Arsenal looked as though they were playing the game on double speed; they zipped the ball purposefully around City and descended on them like a swarm of red arrows when out of possession. A goal was the only thing missing and it duly arrived just past the half-hour mark when Saka swept home a first-time finish into the bottom corner after being found by Kieran Tierney.
Gabriel Martinelli went close to doubling Arsenal’s advantage twice before the half-time whistle. The Brazilian whipped an effort fractionally over the bar with his first attempt and then prodded the ball inches wide with his second after a frantic run had taken him from the halfway line to the edge of City’s six-yard-box in a matter of seconds.
Player ratings
Arsenal
- Aaron Ramsdale – 6
- Takehiro Tomiyasu – 7
- Ben White – 6
- Gabriel Magalhaes – 5
- Kieran Tierney – 7
- Thomas Partey – 8
- Granit Xhaka – 7
- Bukayo Saka – 8
- Martin Odegaard – 7
- Gabriel Martinelli – 8
- Alexandre Lacazette – 6
Subs:
- Emile Smith Rowe – 6
- Rob Holding – 6
- Mohamed Elneny – 6
Man City
- Ederson – 6
- Joao Cancelo – 7
- Ruben Dias – 6
- Aymeric Laporte – 6
- Nathan Ake – 6
- Rodri – 8
- Kevin De Bruyne – 5
- Bernardo Silva – 7
- Riyad Mahrez – 6
- Raheem Sterling – 5
- Gabriel Jesus – 5
Subs:
- Ilkay Gundogan – 7
An inability to find a second goal cost Arsenal, who endured a nightmarish spell before the hour mark. First Mahrez equalised from the spot after Granit Xhaka had been adjudged to have hauled Bernardo Silva to the ground; then Martinelli missed a gilt-edged chance to restore Arsenal’s lead after Nathan Ake had scooped the ball off the goal-line; and finally, Gabriel Magalhaes was shown a second yellow card for fouling Gabriel Jesus. There were just 118 seconds between Mahrez’s penalty hitting the net and Gabriel’s red card.
From that point on City dominated proceedings, although Guardiola will have been left frustrated at the lack of clearcut chances his side were able to create during the final half an hour. Finally, midway through the six minutes of additional time, Rodri prodded the winner beyond Aaron Ramsdale after Aymeric Laporte’s attempted effort had deflected into his path.
It was a fortuitous victory for City, as Guardiola acknowledged afterwards. “They were better,” he told BT Sport. “We faced a team that in the last years has struggled to be in the top four and they started this season in the bottom, bottom, bottom.
“And [now] they are in the top four and had six, seven days after Norwich, we had two days and a half and Brentford was so tough and we didn’t have energy. It was difficult, we didn’t have energy. We tried and tried and in the second half in one minute it changed.”
Related Stories
5 Arsenal January transfer targets and why Afcon could accelerate search for new midfielder24 December, 2021
Meet Charlie Patino: The Arsenal wonderkid hoping to follow in Smith Rowe and Saka's footsteps21 December, 2021
'Watching that Netflix film broke my heart': Mannone on Sunderland, Arsenal and his future20 December, 2021McManaman: Lack of discipline cost Arsenal
“It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?” said former Liverpool, Man City and England winger Steve McManaman on BT Sport’s coverage of the game.
“He deserves it, Gabriel. Fancy getting a yellow card for scuffing the spot up. I mean, talk about ill-discipline. Talk about effectively throwing the game away. They deserve it, I’m sorry.
“The team were flying and he’s now to done this to his 10 teammates, absolutely ridiculous.”
Rodri: We showed a champion’s mentality
“They are an unbelievable team. They showed why they are in that position [in the table]. The way they go with Mikel [Arteta] is huge,” said the match-winner Rodri to BT Sport after the game.
“They did a great game, but fortunately, we showed our personality. A champion’s personality, so we want to go again. We learned from past years that you have to push always, no matter what happens.
“We were 1-0 down in the break and then suddenly things changed because of our mentality. We didn’t do a great game, but we pushed, we never dropped and we thought it was positive.
“I don’t know what I was doing there, Laporte also, but three more points is vital for us.”
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3FLGIHv
Post a Comment