Arsenal vs Manchester City: De Bruyne brace, Man City masterclass sinks Arsenal 3-0- As it happened

Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring in the second minute before Sterling made it 2-0. De Bruyne scored his second soon after as Manchester City beat Arsenal 3-0.

Updated : Dec 16, 2019 00:06 IST

Belgian Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring against Arsenal in the second minute of the game before adding one more in the 40th minute.
Belgian Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring against Arsenal in the second minute of the game before adding one more in the 40th minute.
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Belgian Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring against Arsenal in the second minute of the game before adding one more in the 40th minute.

Hello and welcome to the highlights of the English Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium. This was Shivansh Gupta keeping you company through the game.

 

That's all we have for you today. Thank you so much for joining us. Until next time, it's goodbye. CIAO!

Brace from Kevin De Bruyne (2', 40') and a goal from Raheem Sterling (15') means Manchester City bags three points at the Emirates with complete ease. City now moves closer to the second-placed Leicester City, just four points adrift. While the Gunners continue to reel at ninth. Gunners is yet to win a game at home since beating Bournemouth 1-0 in October. For City, it was a happy comeback to winning ways after conceding the Manchester Derby.

THERE COMES THE LONG WHISTLE FROM REFEREE AND THAT'S THAT!

90+2' Potential move is wasted! Smith Rowe breaks free and looks to free up Martinelli on the left, but the latter overshoots, slips and sees the ball roll kindly past the side line.

Three minutes have been added on to the final 45.

90' JUST WIDE! De Bruyna feeds Sterling, who does well to stay onside behind Maitland-Niles, collects the pass and fires just wide of the far post.

90' LOVELY FROM SMITH ROWE A LIGHT APPLAUSE FROM THE CROWD! Smith Rowe does well to turn in the mid-field and keep hold of the ball for about 50 seconds. Then, he supplies the ball to Saka, whose cross is too heavy and the ball flies across the pitch for a City throw-in.

88' Just a few more minutes of misery for Arsenal left on the night as De Bruyne's shot from the left of goal is hit just above the bar.

86' SAVE! Leno keeps it 0-3! Mahrez is freed up on the right, more like Arsenal conceding possession again. Riyad takes it deep and then tries to beat Leno at the near post, but the Arsenal keeper parries it away.

85' SUBSTITUTION FOR CITY! Zinchenko - IN | Mendy - OUT

81' SUBSTITUTION FOR ARSENAL! Jeo Willock - IN | Torreira - OUT

77'  NOT ENOUGH POWER THERE! Rodrigo plays a quick ball to De Bruyne, who takes a shot at goal, without any pace and venom. Leno dives comfortably to his left and grabs the ball.

75' CHAMBERS WITH THE BLOCK! Sterling from around 25 yards out takes an ambitious crack at goal. However, the elevation is missing and Chambers blocks it with relative ease.

74' WIDEEE! Torreira with a lovely lob from the back and Aubameyang is quick to collect it. He goes to continues to run forward in the left flank and then tries to find the far corner with his shot, but it's hit wide.

73' YELLOW CARD FOR SOKRATIS! Gets into a tussle with Jesus and brings the latter down by barging into the back of the City stirker.

70' SUBSTITUTION FOR CITY! Riyad Mahrez - IN | Gundogan - OUT

68' CORNER FOR CITY! Sterling plays it t De Bruyne, who then frees up Sokratis in the left. He feeds the ball to  Mendy who looks for a cross to the box, but Maitland-Niles is in the way as City wins a corner.  De Bruyne curls goalwards from the short delivery and Leno holds.

Ljungberg has made Arsenal change its tactics in the second half. In the first, the home time was making more runs down the right flank but the second half has been opposite. About 50% of the runs have been made in the left so far.

63' CORNER! Martinelli does well against Otamendi in the City box and wins a corner from the Argentine.

62' SAVE!!! Leno charges off his line to deny Jesus his first goal of the night. Once again, the Arsenal midfield is missing as De Bruyne pierces through huge gaps and supplies the ball to Jesus, who finds himself in a 1v1 situation with Leno. He goes to his left, looking for a little dink over the keeper, but the latter is quick off his line. The ball bounces back to De Bruyne and he rolls it to Sterling. He takes a crack at it from the edge of the box in the left side, but it is blocked by Chambers.

61' YELLOW CARD! Gundogan brings down Smith Rowe. Classic City foul, you could say.

He walks off with boos from the home crowd and kicks away his glove into the dugout after crossing line. Clearly frustrated there! Smith Rowe makes his Premier League debut at home.

59' SUBSTITUTION FOR ARSENAL! Emile Smith Rowe- IN| Mesut Ozil- OUT

57' FREE-KICK FOR ARSENAL! Kyle Walker sticks his leg out on Martinelli from the back and commits an unnecessary foul yet again! Nothing substantial is made off the free-kick.

56' SUBSTITUTION FOR CITY! Bernardo Silva- IN| Phil Foden- OUT

55' BLOCKED! De Bruyne is freed in the centre and charges up front with lightning quick pace with Sterling in the left. He takes a shot at goal at the edge of the box but it is blocked by Chambers

52' JESUS UP AND OVER! Kevin De Bruyne, in the right flank, plays the ball square to Sterling. Who takes it to the edge of the box before tapping it left to Jesus. Gabriel takes a first time shot only for the ball to find the spectators.

50' WAY OVER THE BAR! Martinelli, once again makes a promising run up front in the left flank before threading the ball to the box. But Mendy gets there first and clears the ball away with a low header. The ball is played back to Ozil, who rolls it to Torreira. He takes a shot, gets plenty of power behind it, but cannot keep it down!

48' LOVELY CROSS, BUT HEADED WIDE! Much better from the Gunners and  a good start to the second half! Maitland-Nile puts a delightful cross from the right flank inside the box and Aubameyang meets the ball with his head, beating Otamendi. Tries to guide to the far post, but ends up hitting it too wide.

46' FOUL! Pepe brings down Fernandinho, who intercepts a chip pass from the mid-field.

The players back out and off we go for the final 45. Will De Bruyne get his perfect hat-trick? Only a header remains.

 

Three classic City goals, but how many more are we going to see?

This is the City we know! It had switched off against Manchester United but is wide awake now and how! Masterclass from Guardiola's men means Manchester City leads Arsenal 3-0.

45+3' REFEREE BLOWS HIS WHISTLE AND THE BRINGS AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHTFUL FIRST HALF TO AN END!

45+1' One touch too heavy! Foden, inside the box, is fed with a lot of space across the face of goal. But, his first touch is too heavy and it is cleaned up by substitute Saka.

Three minutes have been added on to the first half.

45' De Bruyne's corner is cleared away.

42' WHAT A SAVE FROM LENO!! Phil Foden makes a brilliant run in the right flank and then cuts in early to the centre, showing exquisite footwork to doge multiple Arsenal defenders. He meet De Bruyne just outside the box, whose right-footed curler flies to the top left corner. But Leno is up to the task and gets his fingertips on the ball to pull off an excellent save. The ball hits the post and bounces back before being cleared away.

40' GOOOALLLLL!!! DE BRUYNEEE WITH AN ABSOLUTE PIN-POINT FINISH FROM THE EDGE OF THE BOX! De Bruyne receives the ball at the edge of the box, taps it to his left and then rifles the ball with his left foot into the back of the net to beat Leno at the right post.

38' SUBSTITUTION FOR ARSENAL! Bukayo Saka- IN| Kolasinac- OUT

Freddie Ljungberg will make a change now. Kolasinac is clearly struggling. That's got to hurt, not only physically but also mentally. He was brought into the squad today but this is not how he would have wanted the day to play out.

37' FREE-KICK taken by Ozil, but cleared by Mendy. Kolasinac back on the field.

35' YELLOW CARD FOR WALKER! Kolasinac makes a piercing run on the left flank and cuts in early! Kyle Walker charges in from the back and brings the Arsenal defender down with a careless tackle, as he tried to pull him back. Kolasinac receiving some treatment now as he rolls his ankle while going down. He has stepped out for extra treatment, leaving Arsenal down to 10-men momentarily.

34' DANGEROUS LOOKING, BUT SAFE! Pepe, once again, drills another dangerous-looking cross from the right flank, looking for four Arsenal outfits inside the box. However, Fernandinho towers above them all to head the ball out of danger.

Arsenal, for obvious reasons, under tremendous pressure. Desperate attempts being made to pull one back, but when a team is up against a settled, calm Man City, the chances are usually slim.

27' PENALTY SHOUT BUT NOT GIVEN! Martinelli threads the ball to Guendouzi, who carries the ball forward, and he receives it back on the edge of the box. He then takes a crack at goal, looking for the bottom corner, but the ball is blocked by Fernandinho. Guendouzi gets the ball back and tumbles inside the box. He shouts for a penalty, but referee says nothing doing.

23' Throw-in for Arsenal! Pepe's cross from the right wing is soft and it is easily cleared away by Rodrigo. Pepe, however, did well to beat Mendy with excellent foot work. He is winning this mini-battle against City's left back though.

22' UP AND OVER!!! Foden, Jesus scramble their way inside the box with quick passing before the ball is blocked! It rolls back to an incoming Gundogan, who whips the ball up and over the bar.

Arsenal has now conceded first in six consecutive Premier League matches - a record run for the club. 

20' Free-kick for Arsenal! Ozil, from the right flank , crosses the ball inside the box, but a strong punch from Ederson is good enough to steer the danger.

17' YELLOW CARD! Fernandinho has been booked after he trips Pepe as Arsenal.

15' GOOALLL!!! STERLING ON THE SCORE SHEET NOW! HOW EASY WAS THAT? It all started with Rodrigo in City's half, who played to Foden in the left win. Foden plays it first time to De Bruyne, who rolls it towards Jesus. Then, Jesus, from the centre of the field, frees up De Bruyne with their 1-2 and allows himto run into the box. Bruyne then threads a cross to Sterling from the left flank and in the end, it was an easy tap-in for the City striker.

10' Free-kick for Arsenal! Ozil is brought down! He puts the ball in the box, but it is headed away by Mendy . The ball is then collected by Pepe, whose cross from the right flank to the box is cleared away by Gundogan

9' Arsenal Corner! Ozil takes it, cleared away by defence. Ball falls to Toreirra, who plays it back to Ozil but he is offside.

6' SAVE FROM LENO! Chambers surrenders possession in a perilous area, allowing Foden to whip in an early cross, but Leno does well to spot the danger and punch clear.

8' SAVE FROM EDERSON! Ozil from the back frees up Martinelli in the left flank, who charges forward and then cuts in. He takes a shot at goal and once again, Ederson is in the way. The ball rebounds straight back to Pepe, who from outside the box, whips it towards goal. But the ball is deflected off the defenders.

How about that for a start from the defending champion! What an electric start at the Emirates.

2' GOALLLLLLLL!! DE BRUYNEE WITH THE OPENING GOAL! He has absolutely nailed that into the top of the net, has De Bryune!! City spirits forward quickly after a silent Arsenal corner. Fernandinho with a lovely ball form the back that culminates in Jesus drilling a low cross from the left side of the Gunners box. De Bruyne latches on to it and finds the roof of the net.

1' SAVE!  What a start by Arsenal! Martinelli makes the most of scrappy defending from City and a good,, loopy ball from the back. He muscles his way past two City defenders, taps left and takes a crack at goal from the left side of the box. Ederson makes himself large and makes the save.

City gets us underway! Here we go!!

We are ready for the kick off!

The players have walked out of the tunnel and made their ways to the pitch.

Team News:

Arsenal - Kolasinac, Guendouzi have been included into the starting 11, replacing Kieran Tierney & Granit Xhaka,respectively.

Manchester City- Guardiola has made four changes from City's derby loss.  Mendy and Otamendi make the cut in the defence, replacing Stones and Tasende. Phil Foden and Gundogan replace David and Bernardo Silva.

 

The Starting XIs for the night have been announced:

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Leno, Maitland-Niles, Chambers, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Torreira, Pepe, Ozil, Martinelli, Aubameyang

  • Subs- Martinez, David Luiz, Willock, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Saka, Lacazette

 

Manchester City (4-3-3): Ederson, Walker, Fernandinho (C), Otamendi, Mendy, Gundogan, Rodrigo, Foden, De Bruyne, Sterling, Jesus

  • Subs-  Bravo, Zinchenko, Angelino, Bernardo, Mahrez, Cancelo, E Garcia

 

FORM GUIDE:

Arsenal: DLDDLW (last match)

Manchester City: WLWDWL (last match)

 

PREVIEW:

Between Manchester City's threadbare defence and Arsenal's sub-standard one, there figure to be plenty of goals scored at the Emirates on Sunday when the two-time Premier League champions try to avoid falling further behind Liverpool and leave north London with a win over the Gunners.

Pep Guardiola's side is a distant third to the Merseysiders, 14 points adrift as the halfway point of the season approaches. The gap could reach 17 by kickoff, and as many have taken note of the chasm, Guardiola himself became a subplot this weekend when it was revealed he has a break clause in his contract for after this season.

The Spaniard, who signed a new deal through 2021 last year with the club and readying for his 200th match with the club, has dropped hints he would like to stay long-term at Manchester City, but such an out is consistent with his coaching track record. Guardiola took what was essentially a season-long sabbatical after his four seasons with Barcelona prior to taking over at Bayern Munich in 2013.

ALSO READ | Tierney to miss three months with shoulder surgery

Guardiola, who has posted a staggering 143-29-27 record on the blue side of Manchester, has been frustrated throughout the season to date, with City off their form of their title-winning campaigns and also dealing with what has seemed to be a relentless spate of injuries. He will have a second-choice pairing in central defence for this match as John Stones was the latest to join the injured list for an extended period of time.

Stones' absence, along with the long-term absentee Aymeric Laporte, has forced Guardiola into using Nicolas Otamendi and usual defensive midfielder Fernandinho in tandem. Right back Kyle Walker conceivably could shift to central defence since he was part of England's back three during the 2018 World Cup, and Guardiola does have options wide in Joao Cancelo and Angelino.

Those injuries have contributed to Manchester City failing to record a clean sheet over its last 10 matches in all competitions since beating Aston Villa 3-0 on Oct. 26.

ALSO READ | Arsenal seeks Nuno talks and keep Martinez in mind

City will again be without top centre-forward Sergio Aguero, but that absence may not be as felt given Gabriel Jesus' current run of form. The Brasil international has five goals in his last three matches after striking for a hat trick in City's 4-1 Champions League victory at Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.

"It's special," Jesus told City's official website after his second career hat trick and has scored all 10 of his goals this term on the road. "When I was young, I'd think about the Champions League - I wanted to play, I wanted to score, I wanted the ball. For me it's a very special moment when I score goals and a hat-trick as well.

"I have to do my job. My job is to score goals and help the team, without the ball and with the ball. Last month, I was not scoring and I feel so bad because I have to score and help my teammates. Now the goals are coming so I'm so happy but I cannot stop - I have to keep scoring."

The match was a dead rubber for City, which had already claimed the top spot in Group C. Its potential opponents for spring's knockout round of 16 are Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, and Lyon. But it was also a needed bounce back after losing the Manchester derby at Old Trafford last weekend to United.

ALSO READ | Mesut Ozil condemns Muslim silence over Uighurs

Guardiola's final injury worry revolves around playmaker David Silva, who sat out Wednesday with a knock picked up versus United and is in a late race to be match-fit.

Arsenal (5-7-4) is ninth in the table on 22 points, but its inconsistencies have been so rife that table-topping Liverpool have more than doubled its points through 16 matches. Freddie Ljungberg continues to serve as caretaker manager as the rumour mill continues to churn out potential successors to the sacked Unai Emery.

One name who came off the list this week was Vitor Pereira, who opted to stay at Shanghai SIPG. Carlo Ancelotti continues to be a candidate, but he has been linked more closely to Everton than Arsenal following his surprising sacking at Napoli earlier this week.

The most intriguing name, though, continues to be former midfielder and current City assistant Mikael Arteta. He was interviewed after Arsene Wenger retired in 2018 but opted to stay with Guardiola, and even his current boss thinks it is possible his potential protégé is at a crossroads of sorts.

 

WHERE TO WATCH?

You can watch the live stream on Star Sports Select 1 and Star Sports Select 1 HD. You can also watch the live stream on Hotstar.

 

WHERE TO WATCH?

You can watch the live stream on Star Sports Select 1 and Star Sports Select 1 HD . You can also watch the live stream on Hotstar .

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