Match Review: City vs. Arsenal

38 years ago a Manchester City side went away to Arsenal in the league and won, with goals from Asa Hartford, Joe Royle and Rodney Marsh, but little did they know it would be January 13th 2013 before City would go there again and finally win a game in the league at the home of Arsenal.

Dzeko being dragged down for a City penalty

Pre-kick off City were by far the underdogs in the fixture due to past experience at the Emirates. A City side without Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri surly meant that this City side was weaker than the team that traveled to the Emirates last April. Arsenal with home advantage were missing no one from the squad bar Mikel Arteta who picked up an unfortunate injury on Saturday in training.

Arsenal entered the game having picked up thirteen points from a possible fifteen and scored seventeen goals in their last three. City themselves were on a fantastic run of form gaining praise for the football the side was playing at the start and end of last season.

The game kicked off with City showing belief in their system and playing as a team. Wave of attack after attack came from City in the first nine minutes. A bounce around in the penalty area led to Gareth Barry nodding the ball back in the six yard box were Edin Dzeko quickly turned only to be rugby tackled down to the floor by Laurent Koscielny. A tackle that would have been welcomed on any All-Black side. Referee Mike Dean, had no choice but to point to the spot and award City a penalty which was missed by Edin Dzeko, after the 6ft 4' Bosnian hit straight at Wojciech Szczesny in the Arsenal goal.

Twenty-one minutes into the content which was dominated by the Champions, City won a free kick after Javi Garcia was taken down in possession. A quick free-kick from Gareth Barry to Tevez who beautifully found an on running James Milner who powerful smashed a wonderful strike into the corner taking the Arsenal side by surprise.

With City continuing to dominate the possession and the attack City doubled their lead on thirty two minutes after a quick break from a Zabaleta challenge, he set James Milner off down the right hand wing. The English man whipped a beautiful ball into the centre before Carlos Tevez came steaming in to flick the ball on before being saved by Wojciech Szczesny who could only parry it into the path of Edin Dzeko who quickly redeemed himself for the penalty miss twenty minutes previous.

Edin Dzeko tapping in to double City's lead

The second half was much duller affair with only one major talking point to comment on. After both Arsenal and City squandered a handful of chances, Jack Wilshere broke from the middle of the park before being what seemed beautifully tackled by City skipper, Vincent Kompany. Mike Dean then showed the City captain for a supposed two footed challenge on Wilshere. City manager later stated that City would appeal the decision.

All in all I do feel City well deserved the victory at the Emirates ending an horrific winless drought away to Arsenal. Despite much talk surrounding the performance of referee Dean, I do feel the only thing he did get wrong on the day was the sending off of City's leader. However, I still feel that City must start converting more of their chances.

City after scoring a second

Hero Of The Day: James Milner who ultimately put everything he had into the City victory, scoring one and providing the second goal.

Villian Of The Day: Laurent Koscielny. No doubt about it the Frenchman carries attributes that many people would love to have. Nonetheless, he seems to posses a couple of red cards and own goals every season. His early sending off killed the contest and City went on to punish Arsene Wenger's men.