Arsenal 0 Man City 3: Masterful City carve Arsene Wenger's woeful side apart in ruthless first half display

For Arsene Wenger it has come to this. Frozen to his seat, in the bitter cold, inside a half-empty stadium that he helped build, watching his Arsenal team being taken apart by a Manchester City side playing the kind of football he used to oversee and now appears nothing but a cruelly distant dream.

Throughout this nightmare Wenger did not move from the bench, maybe he feared if he did the abuse would focus even more angrily on him. In the desperately icy conditions it felt like the end. Wenger was beaten. He looked devastated. He did not even make a substitution. It was resigned. He needs to go. It was a perfect storm on a treacherous night.

Arsenal do not even feel like a top six team anymore. There is the top five and then there is Arsenal who are marooned 30 points behind the Premier League leaders Manchester City and, more relevantly, 10 points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with just 10 matches to go. Finishing in the top four appears almost impossible meaning that their only chance of Champions League qualification is by winning the Europa League, with AC Milan their next opponents.

Focussing on Wenger should not detract from the poverty of performance put in by his team or the brilliance of City’s attacking play as they carved their opponents apart with the skill of a master sculptor. Each goal was a gem; a master-piece in its own right with City just too quick, too skilful, too incisive and summed up by the graceful trickery of Leroy Sane. Even then, in defence, they put their bodies on the line in the way that Arsenal players did not appear prepared to do while City did not even have to play that well – as with last Sunday’s Carabao Cup Final – to beat Arsenal. They repeated the scoreline but it felt even more emphatic.

Arsenal had the lifeline of a penalty, early in the second-half, when Nicolas Otamendi fouled Henrikh Mkhitaryan but that was taken so carelessly by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang that City goalkeeper Ederson made a comfortable save diving to his left. At the end Mesut Ozil slumped to his haunches, despondently, but neither he nor Mkhitaryan nor Aubameyang did enough. Not nearly enough.

Was it just the weather to blame for the large swathes of empty seats or were the Arsenal fans protesting? Was there a sense of inevitability, a sense of trepidation, as to what might happen against City?

If it was about travel, and getting to the stadium, which will have been an issue for some, it did not explain why the away end was full. And soon celebrating; soon rubbing it in with chants of “sacked in the morning” aimed at Wenger.

Arsenal fell behind. It was a very City goal to score; a very Arsenal goal to concede. It was woeful half-hearted defending as Sane cut in from the left on one of those elusive, will-o-the-wisp runs of his but what about the powder-puff challenges of first Hector Bellerin, then Danny Welbeck and then Granit Xhaka who tumbled to the turf, swotted away? Then Shkodran Mustafi backed off and Sane rolled his pass across goal to Bernardo Silva. That was four Arsenal players by-passed and there were two more to come.

Bernardo shifted it back inside with, for some reason, Sead Kolasinac showing him that direction and Mkhitaryan wafting a foot. Instead Bernardo curled a wonderful left-footed shot high into the corner of the net with Petr Cech grasping thin air.

And then City scored again. And again.  They carved Arsenal open with Sane once more at the heart of it as he easily beat Mustafi to pull the ball back to Aguero. For some reason Laurent Koscielny was standing five yards off the striker who simply picked out David Silva. One deft touch took him into space and he curled a left-foot shot high beyond Cech at his near post. “Easy, easy,” chanted the City supporters. It really was. It was also fine, superb attacking football but made easier by such weak defending.

And it happened again. Again it was simply unacceptable from Arsenal with City pouring forward down their right, initiated by David Silva and Walker before Aguero turned sharply to find Kevin De Bruyne. He slid a pass into the overlapping Walker who crossed low for Sane to beat Bellerin and tap the ball into the empty net with Cech helpless.

The pattern carried with another De Bruyne set-up for Aguero whose point-blank shot was blocked by Cech. The half-time boos were loud. “You’re not fit to wear the shirt,” the home fans chanted.

Arsenal 0 - 2 Man City (David Silva, 28 min)

Arsenal were also booed back onto the pitch for the start of the second-half. It was the first time, at home in the Premier League, that Arsenal had conceded three goals in the first-half. They had the penalty chance. But that was it. They had nothing else. City were in control and it was only a question of whether they would press home their advantage even more and Aguero burst through only for his low cross-shot to be turned away by Cech.

Afterwards Pep Guardiola warned that if his team played as they did at the end of the first-half and start of the second that they would be punished by a Champions League side. Arsenal are not that and do not appear to be one again very soon. And certainly not under Wenger.

9:36PM

Full time

That's that, then. The penalty aside, that was about as uneventful a half of football as I've ever seen. City killed this game off in the first period and sucked the life out of it in the second. Arsenal's fans decided to stay away and who could blame them? Beyond it being absolutely freezing, their team was woeful. And worse of all, it was so utterly predictable. 

Well played, City, though. A deserved win. They move 16 points clear on 75 points which, incidentally, is Arsenal's total for last season. 10 games remain.

9:32PM

90 mins

"There's only one Arsene Wenger" rings out from the stands. Unfortunately for Mr Wenger it's coming from the away fans.

Two minutes added on.

9:28PM

86 mins

Gabriel Jesus replaces David Silva.

9:27PM

84 mins

I just wondered why Arsenal haven't made any changes yet. Then I remembered their bench:

Ospina, Chambers, Holding, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Iwobi, Nketiah.

Not wholly inspiring, let's be honest.

9:24PM

82 mins

Yaya Toure replaces Aguero - there will be no 200th goal for him today.

9:23PM

81 mins

Kolasinac takes a ball down beautifully from out of the sky, and then proceeds to pass the ball straight to Kompany. What a waste.

9:21PM

78 mins

A chance! And so nearly Aguero's 200th for Arsenal. Silva slips him in on goal with a decent, but shockingly simple straight ball. Aguero races on to it, shoots low and hard across goal, but Cech saves well down to his right.

Clearance: Arsenal 0 - 3 Man City (Kyle Walker, 70 min)

That's City's first shot of the second half.

9:19PM

Silva joins an elite club

9:17PM

Clinical City

They have three goals from six shots; Arsenal have none from 10.

Arsenal vs Man City shots on goal

9:16PM

73 mins

Zinchenko is straight into the action, nipping in to win possession, and quickly feeding Aguero. The striker is so isolated, but manages to hold on to the ball despite the attentions of four Arsenal defenders, before eventually being crowded out. 

There's not a great deal of action at the moment, as you might have realised.

9:14PM

First substitution of the night

Kyle Walk trudges off, possibly limping slightly. Oleksandr Zinchenko comes on. Danilo will switch sides, Zinchenko goes to left-back.

9:12PM

69 mins

City have barely threatened this half, but they are in control of this game. Complete, utter control. Arsenal missed their big chance to get a foothold and City are now wringing the life out of the contest. 

9:09PM

Harsh, but probably fair

9:06PM

64 mins

City taking the sting out of the game now with an extended period of possession. They've had it for nearly three minutes.

9:03PM

59 mins

Arsenal win a corner. They go short with it, which the crowd don't like at all (a gripe at every ground that has no basis - but that's a discussion for another day). The ball finds its way back to Bellerin, who lofts into the box and Aubameyang shoots on the volley, but it flies wide of Ederson's right post.

Miss: Arsenal 0 - 3 Man City (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 58 min)

8:59PM

56 mins

Otamendi is okay to continue.

8:59PM

55 mins

Nearly a catastrophe for Cech! He tries to dribble around De Bruyne, who gets a toe on the ball, and the keeper is fortunate to see it ricochet back off him and to safety.

Ederson then comes charging off his line at the other end to head clear, taking out Otamendi in the process, who is left lying on the floor and needs treatment.

8:55PM

Penalty saved!

Ederson guesses right and saved Aubameyang's tame spot kick! 

8:54PM

Penalty Arsenal!

Otamendi fouls Mkhitaryan. It's a clumsy challenge and Arsenal have a lifeline. Are we about to see an extraordinary comeback? Surely not...

8:53PM

Hmmmmm

8:52PM

49 mins

Another pretty subdued start to the half. Something will spark to life soon enough.

8:48PM

No changes for either side

If it ain't broke, don't fi... oh.

Arsenal hoping for something else this half. City get us started.

8:47PM

Pretty damning, this

8:45PM

Praise where it's due

8:35PM

Half time

The loudest noise of the night meets the half time whistle: boos ring out and the Arsenal players are probably just looking forward to getting into the warmth of their changing room. 

I know we shouldn't really be surprised by Arsenal collapses any more, but that was still shocking. City have been exceptional but there has been little resistance from the home side. Gary Neville says he has no idea "what Wenger says to his players at half time." Nor, I imagine, does Wenger.

8:31PM

45 mins

Two added on. Xhaka shoots straight at Ederson from a corner. The Arsenal players want to get inside. 

8:28PM

42 mins

Good move from Arsenal down the right, and Ramsey does well to take two City players out the game by receiving the ball on his back foot through a tight gap. He turns towards goal, and feeds Aubameyang, who lays off for Ozil. He can't quite get the ball out from under his feet and City smother the ball and scramble it away.

8:25PM

39 mins

City are carving Arsenal open for fun. De Bruyne gets to the byline on the right and crosses low. Of all people to be waiting in the middle, it's Sergio Aguero, and this looks like four... but Cech saves well and Arsenal clear. They are holding on. For now.

8:23PM

Love Ben Mendy

8:23PM

38 mins

Ramsey volleys at goal from the edge of the box, Danilo blocks, Ramsey wants a penalty, but Danilo says it hit him in the ribs. Replays confirm he isn't a liar.

8:21PM

They are just getting better and better

City go from passing around calmly in the right-back position to charging full tilt at Arsenal in the blink of an eye. Suddenly Aguero is turning his man and bearing down on goal. He feed De Bruyne, who slides Walker in on the right. Sane is arriving in the centre, he looks second-best to get to the cross, with Bellerin in the six-yard box to defend, but Sane flies past him, gets to the ball first and can tap home for 3-0. Astonishing stuff.

Arsenal 0 - 3 Man City (Leroy Sané, 33 min)

8:18PM

GOOOOALL!!! 3-0 to City! Sane scores!

Make that the last seven shots on target in a row!

8:17PM

Been a while since we've seen a save by an Arsenal keeper

8:14PM

The first was good...

...this one was great.

Sane is again at the heart of it with his dribbling. One little jink right and then left and he is away from Bellerin. He passes infield to Aguero, who has David Silva darting outside him, and he lays off perfectly into the Spaniard's path. Silva looks up, and beats Cech easily at his near post. Wow.

Arsenal 0 - 2 Man City (David Silva, 28 min)

8:13PM

GOOOOOAALLL!!! 2-0 to City

David Silva with the goal!

8:11PM

26 mins

Stupid, stupid tackle from Xhaka. He fouls Aguero totally unnecessarily, and City suddenly have a free-kick in a decent position out of the left wing.

Aguero gets across his marker and forces a decent save from Cech - but he was offside anyway so it doesn't matter.

8:09PM

23 mins

Arsenal build well from left to right: Welbeck, Kolasinac and Ozil combine to get out of a tight situation, and the ball is spread out to Bellerin. He evades the clutches of Danilo and crosses for Ramsey, who hits his shot well enough, but Ederson manages to keep hold of the shot. Good save.

8:05PM

19 mins

The easiest decision of the night for Andre Marriner, that. Arsenal break, and manage to miss attempts at fouls by Gundogan and Kompany, but Otamendi takes out Welbeck and earns himself a yellow card.

Xhaka forces a decent save from Ederson from the free-kick, which is miles from goal.

8:02PM

What a lovely goal that is

Leroy Sane just bursts out a position that is far from threatening out on the left wing past two, three, four Arsenal players. He darts towards the centre of the pitch and passes square to Bernardo Silva.

I think he should hit it first time, but he quickly proves me wrong. He delays, stands up Mkhitaryan, shifts onto his left and curls beautifully into the top corner.

The Emirates is so quiet the noise of the ball hitting the back of the net is crystal clear.

Arsenal 0 - 1 Man City (Bernardo Silva, 15 min)

7:59PM

GOOOOOALL!!!! Arsenal 0-1 Man City

Bernardo Silva puts City ahead!

7:58PM

13 mins

A decent effort from Mkhitaryan. Ramsey wins the ball and lays off to Ozil, who quickly shifts his feet and switches play out to Mkhi on the left. He takes one touch and swipes at goal, connecting well enough, but his effort is straight at Ederson.

7:54PM

8 mins

Arsenal burst into life with Aaron Ramsey crossing low and hard. It cannons off Kompany and just hits Ederson, who is lucky more than anything that that didn't fly into the net.

City go up the other end with Aguero played in but the angle widens quickly and he fires into the side netting.

7:52PM

6 mins

A subdued start from both teams and the half-filled stadium. Hopefully these fans managed to find some tickets...

...because there is definitely space for them in there.

7:48PM

From our man Sam Dean at the Emirates

7:47PM

2 mins

A straight ball over the top for Aubameyang to chase is met by Ederson, but it looks momentarily like it might bounce over him. He does well to deal with it, though, and heads clear.

7:45PM

We're off

Arsenal get us started. The Emirates is - at kick off - half empty.

7:44PM

The players are out

Kick off is just a few moments away. Wenger says Arsenal "want to attack". This should be fun.

7:40PM

Unsurprising, maybe, but this doesn't bode well for the hosts

Two of their three lowest shot tallies in all competitions this season have come in their two games against City. The other was against Spurs, which wasn't exactly ages ago, too.

7:34PM

Got a fair amount of stick for this this week...

...but I'm sticking by it. Most Arsenal players have regressed under Wenger, in my opinion. Here's a player-by-player analysis:

Has every Arsenal player regressed under Arsene Wenger?

7:27PM

Three days on, what lessons have been learned?

My colleague Charlie Eccleshare gave Arsene Wenger seven quick fixes to avoid another mauling tonight. Have a read here, and see what his team change tonight. One of the suggestions was to give Xhaka a rest - which has happened. Another was to bring in Elneny - which also hasn't happened. The latter, I reckon, could be fatal.

7:16PM

Weather update

As you're probably more than aware, it is really, really cold tonight, and there has been a lot of snow over the past 24 hours. This is what the Emirates looked like earlier on.

But the Arsenal staff have been hard at work all day...

And now we have this lovely carpet ready to be played on, complete with blue lines in case of more snowfall.

7:07PM

"We want to attack"

Arsene Wenger's pre-match thoughts:

"I expect the players to fight but also show quality, we want to combine both.

"We are angry because we lost the final and it takes desire and pride to respond well.

"We want to attack. We played a bit more cautious at Wembley, and tonight we will see if we're more comfortable in a back four.

"Jack [Wilshere] isn't playing tonight so that he has a chance to play on Sunday. He should be back."

6:58PM

Captain Kompany retains his place

Vincent Kompany's commanding performance in Sunday's final has convinced Guardiola to keep the Belgian in the team 

Ederson is back in goal. Gundogan starts in the Fernandinho role. Raheem Sterling does not make the bench, with Bernardo Silva starting on the right.

6:49PM

That Arsenal team...

So, Arsene Wenger has decided to... how should I put this... go for it tonight.

He reverts back to 4-2-3-1 after the failed 3-4-3 attempt at Wembley on Sunday, with Danny Welbeck coming in to presumably play on the left side of the three behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Henrikh Mkhitaryan returns, and will play on the right of that three. Petr Cech also returns. Jack Wilshere misses out with an ankle knock.

6:46PM

Team news alert!

Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Mkhitaryan, Ramsey, Ozil, Aubameyang, Welbeck.

Man City: Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Danilo, Gündogan, David Silva, De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Agüero, Sané

6:45PM

Pep ready to give up yellow ribbon at City's request

Pep Guardiola has admitted he would abandon his 'yellow ribbon' protest if requested to do so by his employers, Manchester City, or if he thought the issue was negatively impacting upon his players.

The Catalan manager has been charged by the Football Association over displaying the political symbol on the touchline during games, in contravention of the English governing body's regulations and in spite of two official warnings.

The City boss has claimed his protest is not political, but humanitarian, although it relates to four Catalans currently being held in prison over the campaign for Catalan independence from Spain.

Although Guardiola has been backed in his position by City, he does concede that should that position change, he will abandon his ribbon protest.

And he would do likewise if he ever felt that the issue was beginning to affect his team, currently a huge 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League.

"Yeah of course, the club is in front of (more important than) me," Guardiola told a pre-match news conference ahead of Thursday's league match with Arsenal - the team his side beat in the League Cup final at Wembley last weekend to give the manager his first trophy in English football.

"It's more important what is happening with the team and the club than my personal opinion. Of course, I don't want to damage my team or club. They know my opinion, it's simple like that."