Match Reports

City Crush Arsenal

|
Image for City Crush Arsenal

Top four hopefuls Manchester City beat Arsenal 4-2 at Eastlands to record a huge win against the team they hope to oust from the top four elite.

An own goal from Almunia, as well as goals from Craig Bellamy, Emmanuel Adebayor and Shaun Wright-Phillips gave Mark Hughes’ side a famous victory in a performance which highlights City’s massive ambitions of dominating world football.

It was the visitors who started brightly and they were unlucky not to take the lead after William Gallas missed a fantastic opportunity, Shay Given on hand to keep the Gunners defender at bay. Thomas Vermaelen’s long disant effort was also kept out by the Ireland internatinal.

City responded by taking the lead on the 20 minute mark after youth academy product Micah Richards created a goal from a powerful header, the ball turned against the post by Manuel Almunia before rebounding back off of the Arsenal keeper and into the back of the net. Richards was unlucky not to claim it for his own.

City held firm until half-time, a fragile but deserved lead from the home side.

After the break, the Gunners looked to get back into the game and did so on 62 minutes, Robin van Persie’s shot drawing the visitors level.

Rather than fall apart like the City of old, Mark Hughes side kept going and got their rewards, Welsh international Craig Bellamy restoring the home sides lead in the 74th minute.

The Eastlands crowd were up on their feet, the momentum with the Abu Dhabi backed club. Former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor was on hand to send the fans into rapture, his fourth goal for City was met with a run down the entire length of the pitch to celebrate in front of his previous clubs fans – a testiment to the way he was treated by them – followed by a yellow card for his efforts.

City’s diminutive talisman Shaun Wright-Phillips added a fourth goal on 84 minutes with an acute chip over the onrushing Gunners keeper, 4-1 the score, Eastlands was rocking.

Tomas Rosicky returned from serious injury with a consolation goal but it was too late against a clinical City.

This game truely announces Manchester City on the world stage, the win a symbol that the ‘sleeping giant’ has finally woken.

We are here, we are City.

More to follow…

Full-time: Manchester City 4 Arsenal 2

Goals: Almunia O.G. 20′ Craig Bellamy 74′ Emmanuel Adebayor 80′ Shaun Wright-Phillips 84′ (Manchester City) Robin van Percie 62′ Tomas Rosicky 88′ (Arsenal)

Share this article