Manchester City vs Arsenal at Etihad Stadium
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Etihad Stadium
Referee : Chris Kavanagh
17th October 2020 5:30 PM (BST)
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1 Manchester City
- ‘23' Raheem Sterling
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0 Arsenal
#mancity
#mancity
Commentary By LIVE FROM THE ETIHAD @dclayton
It's a wrap
Thanks for tuning in this evening. We are nothing without you guys and hope you enjoyed our coverage.
We'll have Pep's press conference thoughts, a CityTV interview with Raheem and we'll have the highlights later on.
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See you all against Porto and take care.
Arteta: 'I am disappointed'
"I think we deserved more but when you have chances against a top, top side - you have to take them. We had three and didn't score.
"I was in that dressing room for four years and I know how hard it is to do what we did here tonight.
"If we are going to lose games, I want to do it playing like this."
Pep reaction
"It was as we expected but this victory is so important.
"It was an incredible effort. Ederson made great saves against Leeds and was outstanding again today.
"The international break is over, the transfer window is closed so we can start from here.
"Everyone has the same problems but we started so late.
"We are away from our best condition but this will help by getting results
"The effort was incredible - how we fought and how we played
"What we have seen today, I am really happy.
"We need more time to grow as a team and this game will help us make a step forward.
"So many players were at a top level against a very good side.
"We have to be so proud this evening."
Words from Pep coming up....
Great to see this guy back - good performance, too
Job done!
We'll hear more from Raheem a bit later when he chats with CityTV
Vital win
Raheem Sterling: "That will give us confidence for the games to come.
"We had a couple of chances to score a second but they're good side and we are happy with the win."
Stay with us for post-match reaction from the boss and a player who will ne confirmed soon
After Leicester, we desperately needed a solid defensive performance tonight. Thought Dias, Ake and Ederson were very good. Bernardo was superb.
We're Not Really Here
Post-match show now live....
City go to tenth with a game in hand over many sides so the table looks a lot better this evening
YESSS!!!!
A much-needed win and clean sheet for City. That was tense!
Mahrez wins a free-kick on the right - Partey is booked
Goal-kick for City as we enter the 94th-minute
Bernardo still full of running but he's penalised for a foul and Arsenal's free-kick is headed away by Walker
My nerves might not take this
Four minutes added....
Into the last minute of normal time - wise move bringing on Ferna to try and see this out
Foden off, Fernandinho on
Sterling worked an opportunity but made the wrong choice as he tried to find a team-mate - you'd have fancied him to score from that position
Five minutes plus stop[age time to see out for City here - this would be a very good three points against a very good side. Come on lads!!
Ake booked
Timewasting according to the ref. Harsh
Clever play by Rodri who wins a free-kick on the left flank
Xhaka off, Partey on
Nketiah on, Pepe off
Pepe curls it a few yards wide...
Free-kick in another dangerous position for City to defend...
Better from City who are keeping the ball and have threatened a couple of times in the last five minutes
Close!
Cancelo tricks his way into the box before his low cross is almost turned into his own net by David Luiz - the corner comes to nothing
Great cross from Cancelo is just about cleared by Arsenal
City win a corner as Sterling is denied on the left
Penalty shout?
TV replays showing Gabriel's barge on Bernardo as he chased down Leno. I'm no expert but he made no attempt to play the ball, just the man but VAR weren't interested
Phil Foden looks to be playing the striker role now Sergio has gone off
We've created very few good chances in this half - lots of work to get this over the line
Willian off, Lacazette on
Phew. Luiz hits it over
City concede a free-kick on the edge of the box as Dias fells Saka - Dias is booked for his trouble and 20 yards out, this is dangerous
Aguero off, Gundogan on
Sergio applauds the 'fans' as he comes off with a big smile on his face - if only! Welcome back Ilkay!
Xhaka's attempt to stop Ederson clearing the cross is penalised
David Luiz sees a shot blocked for a corner
Cancelo booked for a foul on Tierney
Bernardo has been superb in the central role tonight. Pep said he believes he will have a great season and on this evidence, he is spot-on
Interesting. City were about to play from the back and Pep shouted the players out so Ederson could kick long. Makes sense to mix it up
Got a little ragged in this last five minutes - the match fitness of one or two of our returning players will be tested as the minutes tick by
Ruben Dias has looked solid on his home debut - it's only his second game for the club but looks like a quality addition to the side
Tierney overhits the ball as he drives towards the box and then runs into the back of Cancelo looking for a free-kick. Ref not interested
Cleared and Tierney has a pop from 30 yards out that just dips over
Arsenal corner...
I'd say we need one more goal minimum as the Gunners have carved out some very god chances
Close!
Early drama as Pepe heads straight at Ederson from five yards out - Pepe landed awkwardly and is being treated. Dangerous start by the visitors
And we're off!
City need to stop Saka having s much influence in this half
Teams are back out...
Ederson just edges Bernardo for first-half star man for me...
Testing 45 to come I think - very good game and both sides playing well, Could have been 2-2 on chances created but we have the advantage as it stands
City 1-0 Arsenal
Close call again at the end of the half as Walker's raised boot almost connects with an Arsenal player, but the resulting shot is wide and City go in at the break a goal to the good
Corner to Arsenal as Saka causes problems on the left - great covering from Dias
1 added minute...
This game has barely stopped for breath....
Pepe tries to skip around Ake on the left but the Dutchman times his tackle to perfection and wins a goal-kick too
We just need to see this half out now and get back in the changing rooms
Close!
Brilliant from Ederson again as Aubameyang burst into the box and is denied by the City stopper - the flag went up but VAR would have overturned it as there was no offside. Few nervy moments here as half-time approaches
Close!
Fantastic save by Ederson as Saka was played in behind the City defence - would have been 1-1 but for the Brazilian keeper
Great covering from Kyle Walker to prevent the threat of Aubameyang on the right - Gunners have a corner but Ederson punches clear
The boss, liking what he is seeing
Close!
City catch out Arsenal with the press, Aguero slips in Foden and Leno saves well at his feet. All City just now
Close!
Mahrez tormenting the Arsenal defence down the right and he's just fired anther shot not far over
65%-35% possession in City's favour at present if you like your stats
Close!
Mahrez is denied low to the right by Leno - corner to City but it comes to nothing
Comes to nothing
Ederson pushes a Saka shot over - corner to Arsenal....
Aguero burst forward, fed Foden who cut inside and saw his shot pushed out by Leno - but only as far as the skipper who buries a low shot into the net from 12 yards
GOALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!
RAHEEEEEEEEEM STERLING!!!!!
As we thought, it's very tactical with both managers trying to outthink the other with little tweaks here and there and very fluid positional play
Bernardo's runs from deep are causing Arsenal problems - he's looking terrific tonight
Rodri pulls Saka back and is cautioned
Arsenal try to counter from their own box but Mahrez tugs Pepe's arm and escapes a booking...
And another as Foden's shot is deflected wide....
Corner to City after a driving run from Bernardo...
Snap header from Aguero goes over the bar - quick reactions from a Mahrez cross, though
Bernardo playing centrally and dropping quite deep at times, collecting the ball from the defence and getting things moving - he'll have specific duties but he's up and down the pitch at present and looking fit and sharp
City hunting down Arsenal well at present and trying to force errors
City pressing aggressively from the front - Arsenal doing the same
Great effort from Mahrez curls about a foot round the post - close!
Arsenal playing in navy blue... odd
The players take a knee and Arsenal get us underway....
OK, here we go!
Here come the teams...
Breaking team news....
Arsenal's Rob Holding injured in the warm-up - David Luiz replaces the defender in the starting XI
The 2020/21 Premier League is currently averaging just shy of four goals per game... so, can we take a 3-1 win?
Key battles
We're up against a confident Arsenal today. They'll fancy their chances, especially with De Bruyne and Laporte missing. But City are keen to get up and running this season - it should be fascinating with Pep v Arteta head-to-heads currently standing at 1-1.
Key battles?
Dias v Aubameyang
Aguero v Gabriel
Cancelo v Pepe
Sterling v Bellerin
January 2015 was the last time Arsenal won at the Etihad - and it was their last away win against the established top six. Since then, 10 draws, 18 defeats and no victories...
So, sounds like Laporte will be back quickly which is great news, but we'll have to wait for more news on Mendy and keep our fingers crossed his injury jinx hasn't struck again.
Pep on Sergio return and injuries
"It's good for us - for a long time he didn't play for us. I'm not sure about his condition. but the situation we are in I thought it better to start him rather than bringing him off the bench."
On Laporte and Mendy's absence:
"Laporte, not too long, but Mendy will be out for longer."
It's grey, damp and starting to go dark at the Etihad, folks Standard conditions for Manchester in autumn
We've had goals galore and some crazy results so far this season - including our 5-2 loss to Leicester. Will today see something a bit more 'normal'? Both today's game have produced plenty of goals with Everton and Liverpool drawing 2-2 and Chelsea and Southampton currently tied at 3-3. It's been entertaining, that's for sure
The big story is this fellah is back after three months out.... and here's what we've been missing...
You may have noticed We're Not Really Here has now kicked off...
Nathan Ake takes his place alongside Ruben Dias who makes his home debut. It looks a very attacking line up, so should be a lively afternoon
Check out what my colleague Neil Leigh makes of it all...
Welcome back to Sergio, Bernardo and Joao Cancelo!!
No KDB or Aymeric Laporte, sadly...
S-E-R-G-I-O!!!!!!
OK, about that team news...
Time for a quick swipe through today's digital match programme...
Very early days of course but Liverpool dropped another two points earlier on this afternoon so a good chance for City to make up more ground if we can take all three points today.
Will be interesting to see the starting XI Pep goes for. Will he adjust the system from the last time we met Arsenal at Wembley which ended in a disappointing defeat?
Team news coming up at 4..30pm...
We'll keep you entertained as best we can ahead of the game before our live text commentary kicks in at 5.30pm
Tick, tick, tick...
One hour 45 till kick-off - how are you feeling Blues?
Could Sergio feature against the Gunners? Pep's not ruled it out - and boy, we've missed our record goal-scorer...
Before that, here's a selection of pre-match stuff that you might have missed on the build-up to the game...
As ever, we'll try and keep you entertained with a mixture of features, updates and, from 5.30pm this afternoon/early evening, we'll bring you live text commentary here on the Matchday Centre
Good morning!
The clock is ticking and in under nine hours, City will be in action against Arsenal
Game day!
Other games that day
As it stood