WTTGT Reporter: Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
A solitary goal from David Silva secured all three points for Manchester City and inflicted Arsenal’s first league defeat in nine games.
Arsenal were unchanged from the team that beat Everton last week and City’s line up included two former gunners in Kolo Toure and Samir Nasri who were playing against their former club for the second time in under three weeks.
Aguero had the first chance of the game, latching on to a cross from Pablo Zabaleta but could only fire over from close range, as City started the game on top, looking to return to the top of the table.
The visitors then got themselves in to the game and Gervinho forced Joe Hart into a save, then from the resulting corner Aaron Ramsey saw his effort turned behind by the English number one.
Wojciech Szczesny was alert to produce a fabulous save to deny Mario Balotelli from point blank range when the in-form Italian looked certain to open the scoring. At the other end Kolo Toure timed his challenge on Ramsey to perfection as the Welshman was preparing to shoot.
Szczensy denied Aguero once more as the first half ended all square. The hosts took the lead five minutes after the break when Balotelli’s effort was saved by Szczesny but the rebound eventually fell to David Silva who finished from close range.
Moments after the restart the visitors threatened to equalise when Theo Walcott’s shot from outside the area was tipped over by Hart. Aguero went close to adding a second as his effort whistled past the post, Nasri then got in behind the Arsenal defence but his pass was over hit.
The game had an end-to-end feeling and van Persie drew a save from Hart following Gervinho’s cut back. Laurent Koscielny breathed a huge sigh of relief when his pass was intercepted by Zabaleta who hit the post with a sweetly struck strike.
As the Gunners pushed for an equaliser the home side went close again through Aguero who forced Szczensy into a smart save at his near post. With the last throw of the dice, Arsene Wenger withdrew Per Mertesacker for Marouane Chamakh, but Micah Richards got in behind the Gunners’ defence but failed to pick out a teammate.
Substitute Andrei Arshavin failed to hit the target as time started to eat away for the gunners.
In the dying minutes of the match Hart once again denied Arsenal tipping over Thomas Vermaelen’s effort, the Belgian then saw another effort go agonisingly wide, as the game finished 1-0 to Manchester City.
A huge contrast from the last time the team was in Manchester proving just how far they have come since the humiliating defeat at Old Trafford back in August.
Match Highlights
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