Premier League: Manchester City frustrate Arsenal in added time and line up for 11th straight victory

The year 2022 starts off in line with that of 2021 for the reigning champions. Manchester City narrowly won on Arsenal’s lawn on Saturday at the opening of the 21st day of the Premier League (1-2). Not very bright and even shaken then led by biting Gunners, the Mancuniens responded to the goal of Bukayo Saka (31st) with a penalty from Riyad Mahrez (57th) before snatching the victory by Rodri (90th + 3). They go on to win an eleventh league victory and take the lead.

If Mikel Arteta, the coach of the Gunners affected by the Covid, was not present at the Emirates Stadium, his men perfectly followed his principles of play. As expected, Manchester City took control of the ball but faced Londoners well in place, compact and above all not hesitating to press high or to throw themselves quickly forward. Ederson did well with a narrowly avoided penalty for a tackle on Martin Odegaard (10th). He also had to repel Gabriel Martinelli’s cross shot, hitting his left side (16th).

Saka in great shape

If City also fired a few arrows with a beautiful head a little too uncrossed from Ruben Dias (14th) or a curled shot a little too removed from Kevin De Bruyne (19th), the visitors have long lacked aggressiveness in attack as in defense. They had to bow on a nice lift of the ball from the right to the left from the Gunners and concluded with a grazing recovery from Saka after a pass from Kieran Tierney (1-0, 31st). The 20-year-old England international has signed on a 4th goal in his last 3 matches.

Equally impactful on his left wing, Gabriel Martinelli, he narrowly missed the target twice and Arsenal failed to make the break before the break (39th and 43rd). Manchester City, who had not scored a shot in the first period, did not really raise the tone on the restart but could take advantage of the talent of Bernardo Silva, discreet until then and who obtained a penalty for a fault by Granit Xhaka. Mahrez transformed him and the visitors equalized while their opponents could not digest the penalty (1-1, 57th).

Arsenal has lost its nerves

Having become very tense, the meeting changed in stride when Nathan Aké pushed back on his line a failed back pass from Aymeric Laporte before Martinelli missed the frame on his recovery in excellent position (58th). A few seconds later, Gabriel was sent off for an unnecessary and dangerous charge on Gabriel Jesus in the center circle (59th).

In numerical superiority, the Citizens were logically able to set foot on the ball and push softly. Despite the great resistance of the Londoners, Pep Guardiola’s men ended up finding the fault in added time after a cross from De Bruyne, a delivery from Laporte and a small recovery from Rodri in front of the six meters (1-2, 90th + 3). The Spaniard had already scored in the first leg at the end of August during the Mancunian demonstration (5-0), this time he offers a victory on the wire to the Citizens who consolidate their position as leader, with provisionally 11 and 12 steps ahead of pursuers Chelsea and Liverpool who face each other on Sunday.