Key events
59 min This is the top of the table as things stand. Liverpool probably have the easiest run-in so this would be a great result for them.
57 min Foden’s corner brushes the head of White and is retreived by Haaland on the far side. City come again, but their attacking play is still ponderous by their standards. Eventually Rodri clips a pass out to De Bruyne, who is offside. He looks in a foul mood.
56 min “Did the rule regarding getting a yellow for asking the ref to give a card change?” asks Eagle Brosi.
I’m not certain but I think it only applies if you wave an imaginary card, which is nonsense really.
55 min Gabriel seems to be accusing Haaland of a headbutt, although there’s no suggestion there was one. Gabriel has done a great job on Haaland so far – in fact he has bullied him at times.
54 min It’s starting to get niggly. You’d think that would suit City as the home side, but at the moment they seem a bit flat. Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, who demolished Arsenal last season, have been anonymous.
52 min Jorginho is penalised for a challenge on Lewis, a decision with which both teams disagree. Arsenal didn’t think it was a foul; City wanted a yellow card.
52 min: Chance for Arsenal! Yeah, this is becoming a proper game. Odegaard slides a nice pass into the area for Saka, whose inviting low cross is just missed by Jesus, stretching in front of an open goal.
51 min Arsenal are showing a bit of intent too, and Odegaard only just overhits an imaginative through ball to Havertz. This won’t end 0-0. You have ma word.
49 min “Interesting reference back to happy George, who I remember particularly well as a Leeds supporter when he led us to glory during his brief tenure,” says Jeremy Boyce. “However hated he was in Leeds, the point he made to Perry Groves was totally in line with the Revie philosophy, ‘If they can’t score, you can’t lose’. But my instinct says that De Bruyne will Lorimer one in at some point, however frustrated he is by Arsenal’s dogged defence. Think Ali and the ‘Phantom Punch’.”
It’s strange that, on Graham’s finest night, a clean sheet wasn’t enough to avoid defeat.
47 min Some good early possession for City. Lewis beats Jorginho with a stylish dragback on the edge of a crowded area, and moments later Kovacic shapes a very nice curler from 25 yards that goes just wide of the far post. Raya had it covered though.
46 min Phil Foden begins the second half.
“I’ve missed a lot of the first half,” says Andrew Hurley, “but are Arsenal playing like the best team in the league, or a team a level below City?”
My instinct is the latter, but it’s a mezzanine level. And they have defended extremely well.
Statement wins that weren’t
“It really felt like it was Newcastle’s time when they beat Man Utd 5-0 in 1996 but we all know how that turned out,” says Martin Widdicks. “As an aside, I feel like a chump convincing my doubting American in-laws to watch this game. It has just confirmed everyone’s preconceived notions about, ahem, soccer.”
Don’t worry, the second half will make up for it. You have ma word.
“I don’t know if Arsenal managed to soothe my nervousness, but they made a determined effort to bore them to sleep,” writes Kári Tulinius. “Honestly, I had prepared for worse, so I’m not complaining.”
Half-time reading
Never mind the lack of entertainment, I think that’s an excellent 45 minutes for Arsenal. City were visibly frustrated towards the end, Kevin De Bruyne especially, and created nothing despite having around 75 per cent possession. There’s a long way to go, and a team as good as City only need a second to shatter your entire existence, but George Graham will be much the happier manager at half-time.
Half time: Man City 0-0 Arsenal
So that’s what it was like to have a Como season ticket in the mid-1980s.
45 min Two minutes of added time. De Bruyne is penalised for a challenge on Saka and waves his hands in disgust at the referee. He looks frustrated, which is another little tick for Arsenal.
45 min Alexandre has another nomination for statement wins that amounted to nowt: Napoli at Juventus in 2017-18.
44 min Foden’s early shot from 25 yards is blocked by one of the centre-backs, Gabriel I think. Whatever you think of Arsenal’s tactics, they’ve defended superbly. The only save David Raya had to make was from Nathan Ake’s shoulder.
43 min Arsenal win another corner, which feels like an event given their success this season. Rice takes, Rodri heads clear. Those two have been involved in plenty.
42 min Arsenal’s approach is reminiscent of George Graham at Anfield in 1989. They had to win by two goals that night, but the principle was the same: take it deep, quieten the crowd, don’t feed the monster, etc, etc.
This was Graham’s pre-match teamtalk, as remembered by Perry Groves.
If we concede an early goal we’re fucked. What I want to do is go in at half-time at 0-0, then I’ll be happy.
40 min Akanji’s flat cross is headed across goal and wide by Rodri, who stooped on front of Gabriel near the penalty spot. A twentieth of a chance.
39 min Rice is fortunate not to be booked for a trip on Haaland. Anthony Taylor has clearly decided to delay the first yellow card for as long as possible. City will feel Jesus, Kiwior and Rice should all have been booked.
38 min Gvardiol’s cross is headed well wide by Haaland, fighting with Gabriel at the far post. It wasn’t much of a chance, but it did at least remind us that Haaland is on the field.
37 min “Hey Rob,” says Niall Mullen. “What time does this match kick off?”
36 min Rice plays a one-two with Jesus on the edge of the area and is well tackled by Rodri, then Saka has a shot blocked his teammate Odegaard.
34 min Arsenal are coming into the game. A mistake from Kovacic allows Odegaard to lead a promisiing break. Eventually Jesus runs across the line of the area, sits Rico Lewis down but then tries to beat him again and eventually his shot is blocked.
34 min Okay, this game needs a goal now. It’s compelling because of who is playing and what it means, but it has also been pretty boring.
33 min “I’m sure you have better things to point out but is there a reason why Saka and White aren’t taking the balls off the kids and instead getting them from the cones?” wonders Eagle Brosi. “I don’t remember seeing cones with balls on top of them before this game. Did I miss something?”
You must have spent the last week on Mars because that’s all anyone’s been talking about.
31 min: Jesus shoots wide A decent attack from Arsenal. Ben White, who has looked good going forward, clips a flat cross beyond the far post towards Kiwior. He cushions the ball back to Jesus, who wriggles away from Bernardo just inside the area and drags a left-foot shot wide of the far post. It was closeish but no more than that.
28 min City have had 74 per cent possession. The result will determine whether Arsenal’s approach has been inspired or cowardly.
27 min Two fouls in 30 seconds – Gabriel on De Bruyne, then Kiwior on Bernardo – get the crowd going for the first time. Kiwior might have been booked for a cynical block on Bernardo.
26 min: City substitution More injury problems for City. Nathan Ake limps off with what looks like a hamstring injury; Rico Lewis replaces him and will go to right-back, with Manuel Akanji moving into the middle.
25 min Rice crunches Rodri fairly to launch an Arsenal break. Havertz runs onto a return ball from Jesus in the area and accidentally clatters Ortega. It was an honest challenge and there’s no big fuss.
23 min Arsenal were already 1-0 down at this stage of last year’s game, so maybe their plan is to take it deep. It’s certainly to defend deep, which is understandable given the disdainful ease with which City exploited the high line in that 4-1 victory.
22 min Successful passes in the final third: City 58-5 Arsenal.
21 min A promising Arsenal break is thwarted by Gvardiol’s excellent challenge on Saka.
20 min Jesus shoves Bernardo Silva over and gets a warning from Anthony Taylor. Arsenal have barely had a kick in the last 10 minutes, although they haven’t looked vulnerable either.
19 min City continue to dominate possession, with Arsenal happy to sit deep. Depending on your perspective, they’ve been too meek or sensibly pragmatic.
