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Pep Guardiola is convinced
Manchester City will be beaten this season, and he may well be proved
right, but for the moment his side remain thrillingly unstoppable.
Arsenal were the latest opponents to succumb to the bewitching brilliance of the Premier League leaders. Not lambs to the slaughter as some have been but Guardiola will not have been the only one wondering how his team were not out of sight and basking in another landslide of goals by the time Arsenal very briefly threatened to make this interesting.
In the end, though, all substitute Alexandre Lacazette’s goal 25 minutes from time succeeded in doing was poking the beast and, before long, City had restored their two-goal cushion when Gabriel Jesus made it 3-1 after a linesman had failed to spot David Silva in an offside position.
Arsenal will moan about that, even if they forgot the basic rule of playing to the referee’s whistle, and perhaps the award of a penalty, too, shortly after the restart from which Sergio Aguero had doubled City’s advantage after the majestic Kevin De Bruyne had got the ball rolling with a characteristically stunning strike.
But any complaints from Arsene Wenger are likely to fall on deaf ears since the gulf in class between these sides was abundantly apparent.
Arsenal were the latest opponents to succumb to the bewitching brilliance of the Premier League leaders. Not lambs to the slaughter as some have been but Guardiola will not have been the only one wondering how his team were not out of sight and basking in another landslide of goals by the time Arsenal very briefly threatened to make this interesting.
In the end, though, all substitute Alexandre Lacazette’s goal 25 minutes from time succeeded in doing was poking the beast and, before long, City had restored their two-goal cushion when Gabriel Jesus made it 3-1 after a linesman had failed to spot David Silva in an offside position.
Arsenal will moan about that, even if they forgot the basic rule of playing to the referee’s whistle, and perhaps the award of a penalty, too, shortly after the restart from which Sergio Aguero had doubled City’s advantage after the majestic Kevin De Bruyne had got the ball rolling with a characteristically stunning strike.
But any complaints from Arsene Wenger are likely to fall on deaf ears since the gulf in class between these sides was abundantly apparent.
Alexis Sanchez’s longing to join City will only have intensified after this although he was largely anonymous on the day and, on current form, it is hard to see how the Chilean could force his way into this team.
There was
so much to admire about this performance from City, even if Guardiola
will be a little frustrated that Arsenal were momentarily allowed back
into proceedings, but there was little doubt where the game was won and
lost.
City were superior in most departments but none more so than central midfield where the sublime David Silva and De Bruyne systematically unravelled their Arsenal counterparts. It’s like two pistons working in perfect harmony. They so seldom lose the ball and when they are in possession they are so dangerous with it, and turn defence into attack at such speed.
City were superior in most departments but none more so than central midfield where the sublime David Silva and De Bruyne systematically unravelled their Arsenal counterparts. It’s like two pistons working in perfect harmony. They so seldom lose the ball and when they are in possession they are so dangerous with it, and turn defence into attack at such speed.
City had two excellent chances to take the lead before De Bruyne’s moment of individual magic.
Barely ninety seconds had elapsed when Sergio Aguero sliced a shot wide from close range after Raheem Sterling and De Bruyne had raced away on the counter and then in the 12th minute fortune shined on Arsenal. Nicolas Otamendi dispossessed Mesut Ozil – yes, he was playing, Arsenal fans – Silva picked up the loose ball and found Aguero, who played Leroy Sane in behind Laurent Koscielny.
Sane’s cross seemed destined to be turned in by Sterling on the goalline but the England forward got shoved in the back by Sead Kolasinac and missed the ball. Michael Oliver, the referee, failed to spot the infringement and Arsenal breathed a sigh of relief.
Well, for seven minutes anyway.
Barely ninety seconds had elapsed when Sergio Aguero sliced a shot wide from close range after Raheem Sterling and De Bruyne had raced away on the counter and then in the 12th minute fortune shined on Arsenal. Nicolas Otamendi dispossessed Mesut Ozil – yes, he was playing, Arsenal fans – Silva picked up the loose ball and found Aguero, who played Leroy Sane in behind Laurent Koscielny.
Sane’s cross seemed destined to be turned in by Sterling on the goalline but the England forward got shoved in the back by Sead Kolasinac and missed the ball. Michael Oliver, the referee, failed to spot the infringement and Arsenal breathed a sigh of relief.
Well, for seven minutes anyway.
After De
Bruyne had a snap shot saved by Petr Cech, Arsenal’s best player on the
day, Sane picked up the loose ball and gave it to Fabian Delph who
squared to De Bruyne. There was nothing really on but the Belgium
midfielder played a one-two with Fernandinho, shifted the ball on to his
left foot and then drilled it low across Cech into bottom corner.
Exquisite.
To try to grasp the extent of the demands Guardiola places on his players, it’s worth peeling your eyes away from the rip-roaring football for a moment to watch the manager on the touchline. It becomes apparent just how exacting he is when he angrily stamps his foot or wheels away in disgust at the smallest pass that goes awry.
Guardiola’s fury when Sterling, looking to square the ball for Sane after being released by another awe-inspiring De Bruyne pass, overhit his own pass in the 35th minute was entirely understandable.
To try to grasp the extent of the demands Guardiola places on his players, it’s worth peeling your eyes away from the rip-roaring football for a moment to watch the manager on the touchline. It becomes apparent just how exacting he is when he angrily stamps his foot or wheels away in disgust at the smallest pass that goes awry.
Guardiola’s fury when Sterling, looking to square the ball for Sane after being released by another awe-inspiring De Bruyne pass, overhit his own pass in the 35th minute was entirely understandable.
If
Sterling had got that right with Koscielny outnumbered, or even took on
the chance himself and scored, it would effectively have been game over
for Arsenal at that point. But a couple of minutes before then, there
had been another insight into Guardiola’s unrelenting standards.
After Kolasinac’s push on Sterling went noticed and Arsenal collected the loose ball, Guardiola was motioning frantically at Kyle Walker to be further up the pitch, ready to apply immediate pressure on Kolasinac, hands on his head in despair at the right back’s positioning. These are the small details Guardiola lives by and what, ultimately, make his side so hard to contain or counter.
Aaron Ramsey forced a good save from Ederson on the cusp of half-time but City were two goals to the good five minutes into the second period. Fernandinho’s raking pass played in Sterling. Monreal gave chase but his challenge was clumsy and down went Sterling. There have been clearer cut penalties but the contact was there.
After Kolasinac’s push on Sterling went noticed and Arsenal collected the loose ball, Guardiola was motioning frantically at Kyle Walker to be further up the pitch, ready to apply immediate pressure on Kolasinac, hands on his head in despair at the right back’s positioning. These are the small details Guardiola lives by and what, ultimately, make his side so hard to contain or counter.
Aaron Ramsey forced a good save from Ederson on the cusp of half-time but City were two goals to the good five minutes into the second period. Fernandinho’s raking pass played in Sterling. Monreal gave chase but his challenge was clumsy and down went Sterling. There have been clearer cut penalties but the contact was there.
Aguero,
who had been presented with a special boot to mark becoming City’s
all-time top scorer in midweek, made no mistake from the penalty spot,
the ball bouncing off the inside of the post for his 179th goal in City colours.
And then City’s intensity briefly dropped, Wenger brought on Laczaette, switched from three at the back to 4-2-3-1 and Arsenal suddenly had a spring in their step.
The goal was well made and well taken. Koscielny found Alex Iwobi, who teed up Ramsey with a good pass. Ramsey then spotted Laczaette peeling off Otamendi and fed the striker who shot powerfully underneath Ederson.
Arsenal would run out of puff, though, and after Cech had denied Gabriel Jesus with a terrific save, City claimed a third when Silva, from an offside position, collected Fernandinho’s pass and squared for Jesus to score.
And then City’s intensity briefly dropped, Wenger brought on Laczaette, switched from three at the back to 4-2-3-1 and Arsenal suddenly had a spring in their step.
The goal was well made and well taken. Koscielny found Alex Iwobi, who teed up Ramsey with a good pass. Ramsey then spotted Laczaette peeling off Otamendi and fed the striker who shot powerfully underneath Ederson.
Arsenal would run out of puff, though, and after Cech had denied Gabriel Jesus with a terrific save, City claimed a third when Silva, from an offside position, collected Fernandinho’s pass and squared for Jesus to score.
