Gunners Down City

Arsenal started their 2015 with a confident, season-defining 2-0 victory at Manchester City in January, proving to opponents — and themselves — title defining performances against big teams away from home.

Monday night’s victory, coming towards the end of a fine year for Arsene Wenger’s side, showed they were capable of taking the game to the opposition on home soil as well, outplaying City in a good, technical game of football.

Having defeated both Manchester City and Manchester United convincingly here, they should be capable of turning the Emirates into a fortress for the rest of the campaign. Arsenal are a “confidence club” both in terms of their players and supporters — momentum seems to count more there than almost anywhere else. The fans responded to the team performance, resulting in a tremendous atmosphere throughout the second half.

Arsenal were solid and compact without possession, clinical in the first half with few chances and then dangerous on the break after the interval. They should have extended their advantage to 3-0 and put the game beyond City’s reach; Joel Campbell blasted over the bar and forced Hart into a fine save with his feet, while Aaron Ramsey couldn’t quite dink the ball over the goalkeeper to round off some lovely interplay on the break. Ramsey, in truth, probably should have been sitting deeper alongside Mathieu Flamini by that stage of the game.

It appeared Arsenal were closing out the game nicely. Arsene Wenger’s favourite defensive substitution — Kieran Gibbs on as a defensive-minded left winger — was used yet again. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replaced Mesut Ozil for extra midfield energy, while Hector Bellerin sat deep and nullified half-time substitute Raheem Sterling. City’s other replacements didn’t help change the game: Jesus Navas did his usual thing of passing to no-one when in a good shooting position, while Wilfried Bony offered little in and around the box.

Then out of absolutely nothing, Yaya Toure produced a looping, side-footed first-time shot that dipped perfectly beyond Petr Cech and into the far corner. Arsenal started to panic. Kevin De Bruyne couldn’t convert a good chance, Bony’s rebound was deflected wide. The pressure continued, home supporters started praying rather than singing. Toure raced through the defence and slid in to poke a shot wide. Crosses rained in — Cech made a decisive punch, Flamini a crucial clearance and Olivier Giroud a crunching tackle inside his own box.

Four minutes of stoppage time produced a noticeable groan but the final whistle prompted one of the biggest cheers of the season. Arsenal secured the three points thought the belief earned from this victory might prove even more important.