ARSENAL’s start to the season has gone from bad to worse at the Etihad today.
Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres netted in the first ten minutes to pile the pressure on Mikel Arteta.
Granit Xhaka then compounded the Gunners’ woes by getting himself sent off for a two-footed tackle before Gabriel Jesus netted a third.
Rodri then scored a fourth goal for the hosts after half time before Torres rounded things off with his second of the day and City’s fifth.
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GOODBYE
That’s the end of a dark afternoon for Arsenal, who find themselves pointless, goalless and bottom of the Premier League after a third consecutive defeat to start the season.
The knives are being sharpened for Mikel Arteta, particularly on social media, but many are speaking out in support of the Gunners boss.
One of those is his former colleague and today’s opposite number, Pep Guardiola.
Yet while the Man City boss may worry for his friend, he must be delighted by his own side’s past week in which they have scored ten goals during two 5-0 home wins. Harry who? Cristiano Ronaldo? No, thanks.
The reigning champions are back in their familiar position of first place, but that could all change within the next couple of hours with five further Premier League games in play.
ARTETA ON THE BRINK?
Is time running out for Mikel Arteta at the Emirates? That’s the verdict of Martin Blackburn in the wake of Arsenal’s latest defeat.
The travelling Gunners fans were so disheartened they were actually celebrating when Rodri made it 4-0 to the home side. In the Premier League at least, they have forgotten what that feels like.
Martin Blackburn
PEP BACKS ARTETA
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola hopes Arsenal will give Mikel Arteta time to turn the club’s fortunes around.
Arteta previously worked as a coach under Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium before leaving to take the top job at the Emirates.
[Mikel Arteta] is incredibly beloved by all of us at Many City. He’s beyond a good manager. We were sad when he left. Sometimes people expect results immediately. The squad today had six, seven or eight injured. Important players too like Ben White and Thomas Partey. If they trust him, he’ll do a good job at Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola
AUBA FACES THE MUSIC
Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang believes the Arsenal team must take the collective blame for today’s horror show, insisting they didn’t take the necessary risks to trouble City before Granit Xhaka’s sending off.
The team is to blame. Today it wasn’t enough. Against a team like City, at 11 against 11, you have to take risks and be brave on the ball, and we didn’t do that. We now have to work hard as a team and stick together. This is how we move forward.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
CITY FEELING FIVE ALIVE
Manchester City have become the third side in Premier League history to hit a total of ten goals in their opening two home games, and, in doing so, have made it three consecutive 5-0 home wins either side of the summer.
ARSENAL INQUEST
A great many questions will be asked of Arsenal and Mikel Arteta in the coming days and weeks.
It’s been a tough start to the season for the Gunners with games against Chelsea and Manchester City – as well as the opener at newly-promoted Brentford with Covid-19 rampant at the club – but the manner of their surrender today must be examined.
RELIABLE RODRI
City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri was an irresistible presence in the centre of the park, cementing his dominant performance with a perfectly-placed goal.
FULL TIME STATS
Arsenal’s one attempt and 19% possession are the lowest figures the club has ever recorded since Opta began documenting such statistics.
The 25 shots totalled by Manchester City are the most the Gunners have faced since Mikel Arteta took charge.
FT: MAN CITY 5-0 ARSENAL
Arsenal slump to the bottom of the Premier League with a third straight defeat to open the season – and this is the most worrying of the lot. The Gunners were torn apart by their superior hosts, but failed to match them for belief and determination. On the flip side, City have moved temporarily to the top of the table following goals from Ferran Torres (2), Ilkay Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus and Rodri.
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
ARSENAL’S ORDEAL IS OVER!MAN CITY 5-0 ARSENAL
90+2. Another excellent stop from Leno!
It’s great football all round as Gundogan picks out the run of Cancelo with a lofted pass.
The Portuguese defender controls brilliantly in the box, and looks set to make it six with the follow-up shot, only for the Arsenal goalkeeper to deny him.
MAN CITY 5-0 ARSENAL
90+1. Leno saves – and we’ve said that a few times today.
The German denies Mahrez’s low shot and then recovers to claim the loose ball before Sterling can pounce.
You dread to think how today would have looked with a different goalkeeper between the sticks.
MAN CITY 5-0 ARSENAL
88. Manchester City had won their previous two Premier League home games 5-0, against Norwich last weekend and Everton back in May.
They’re a couple of minutes plus injury time away from making it three in a row.
MAN CITY 5-0 ARSENAL
86. City keep on pouring forward.
Sterling is crowded out and then Laporte finds himself on the end of another delivery, but still can’t get his angles right to find the target.
MAN CITY 5-0 ARSENAL
84. Two for Ferran Torres, five for Manchester City!
And it’s all so, so simple. With time and space, Riyad Mahrez delivers the perfect cross from the right, and there was Torres to head past Bernd Leno and in off the post.
GOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!
FERRAN TORRES MAKES IT FIVE!!MAN CITY 4-0 ARSENAL
83. Oooh, hello! Smith Rowe bursts into the City box, and pulls a cross back…
….that is comfortably collected and cleared by Laporte.
Still, it’s a start, right?
MAN CITY 4-0 ARSENAL
80. Tierney soldiers on but given his injury record, it’s a concern.
Meanwhile, Sterling almost gets on the end of a searching cross from the left, but even he lacks the pace to meet a pass that is swerving away from him.
MAN CITY 4-0 ARSENAL
78. If you thought it couldn’t get any worse for the Gunners, where have you been for the past five years?
Kieran Tierney, glass ankles and all, has gone down on the far side, and doesn’t look as though he’s able to continue.
Arsenal have already made all three of their subs.
MAN CITY 4-0 ARSENAL
76. It should be five!
Sterling rolls off the back of Kolasinac, and travels on to Mahrez’s through ball.
Faced with just Leno, the City forward tries to slide a shot past him, but the Arsenal goalkeeper stands tall to block.
MAN CITY 4-0 ARSENAL
74. The visitors have just carried the ball into the City half for the first time in the second period.
Small victories.
MAN CITY 4-0 ARSENAL
73. Arsenal’s gameplan in this half, first, foremost and only, has been to deny City adding to their score.
Which is just as well otherwise…
MAN CITY 4-0 ARSENAL
72. BT Sport commentator Darren Fletcher has just noted that Ederson has touched the ball three times in this half, and they’ve all been passes out to teammates.
MAN CITY 4-0 ARSENAL
71. Arsenal make their third and final change.
Martin Odegaard has barely had a touch on his return to the Gunners, and now takes his leave for Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
MAN CITY 4-0 ARSENAL
68. Sterling is eager to get himself on the scoresheet, and goes close with two efforts in the matter of seconds.
The substitute escapes from his marker in the box to loop Mahrez’s cross over Leno with his head, only for the Arsenal keeper to tip over with a smart save.
Then from the short corner, Sterling steps in from the right and sends a whipped curler just wide of the far post from 20 yards.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
