Manchester City hosted Arsenal in the penultimate game of matchday 22 in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon at the Etihad.
City were looking to close the gap to leaders Chelsea back to two points, but it was Arsenal who took the points back to North London thanks to an assured away display that ended City's unbeaten run at 12 games.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute updates below.
Afternoon all! One of the games of the weekend in world football is only an hour away as Manchester City take on Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium. Team news is just reaching us at SM HQ so let's get straight to it.
MAN CITY XI: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy; Fernandinho, Fernando; Navas, Silva, Milner; Aguero
Subs: Caballero, Mangala, Sagna, Kolarov, Lampard, Jovetic, Dzeko
Subs: Caballero, Mangala, Sagna, Kolarov, Lampard, Jovetic, Dzeko
Manuel Pellegrini makes two changes to the side that drew 1-1 at Everton last week. Captain Vincent Kompany returns in central defence for Eliaquim Mangala, while further forward the injured Samir Nasri is replaced by the returning James Milner.
ARSENAL XI: Ospina; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Alexis, Giroud, Cazorla
Subs: Szczesny, Gibbs, Chambers, Flamini, Rosicky, Ozil, Walcott
Subs: Szczesny, Gibbs, Chambers, Flamini, Rosicky, Ozil, Walcott
Like Pellegrini, Arsene Wenger makes two changes from last weekend. In come Hector Bellerin and Aaron Ramsey for Mathieu Debuchy and Tomas Rosicky.
It's surprising to see both Calum Chambers and Kieran Gibbs on the bench for Arsenal. You might have thought that they would be Wenger's two best options at full-back, but he goes with Bellerin and Monreal. Debuchy was right-back for last weekend's 3-0 win over Stoke, but he had to come off injured and is now set to miss a chunk of time with a dislocated shoulder.
© Getty Images
© Getty Images
The Gunners' injury list is fairly lengthy, with Debuchy, Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Serge Gnabry, Danny Welbeck and Abou Diaby all ruled out. However, Wenger is used to dealing with problems and has been boosted by the returns of Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott in recent weeks.
One man who hasn't been sidelined this season is Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean is arguably the Premier League's standout player - just look at this stat:
Alexis Sanchez... http://t.co/U5JJAmuSGK pic.twitter.com/LpCnCSvzww — Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) January 13, 2015
So Sanchez is massively important for Arsenal, but what about City's superstar in Sergio Aguero? He makes his first start in over a month today after suffering an injury in the early stages of last month's game against Everton at the Etihad. What a relief it is for City fans to see the Argentine back.
Pellegrini has spent big this week by signing Wilfried Bony from Swansea City for around £28m. The striker can't feature for about a month, though, because he is away at the Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast.
So there's no Wilfried, but at least City do have their three other strikers fully fit now, with Stevan Jovetic and Edin Dzeko on the bench. Talismanic midfielder Yaya Toure is also on duty with Cote d'Ivoire, however, and that's a big, big blow.
REFEREE WATCH: The man with the whistle today is Mr. Stern - Mike Dean.
Let's take a look at the league table then. City start the day right in the middle of Chelsea and Southampton - five points behind the Blues and five ahead of the Saints. They will close the gap to Chelsea back to two points with victory today after Jose Mourinho's side dispatched Swansea 5-0 yesterday.
As for Arsenal, they are four points behind fourth-placed Manchester United and now sixth following rivals Spurs' 2-1 win over Sunderland on Saturday.
Arsenal are now also level on points with West Ham United after Sam Allardyce's side produced a blistering second-half display to see off Hull City in this afternoon's first game. Read our match report on that here.
The Gunners have only been beaten by City once in their last five meetings, but that was in this fixture last season when City beat then-leaders Arsenal 6-3.
In fact, Arsenal have failed to win any of their last seven games in Manchester, against either City or United, losing six and drawing one.
One thing we probably can expect today is goals. In the last seven Premier League games between these two sides there have been 28. For the non-mathematicians amongst you, that's an average of four a game.
Funnily enough, that's how many goals were scored when the two last met at the Emirates in mid-September. Aguero and Alexis were both on the scoresheet in a 2-2 draw.
So, given City's higher league position and Arsenal's shocking recent record in Manchester, it seems that a home win is the most likely result today. Pellegrini's men are also unbeaten in 12 (winning nine and drawing three), while Arsenal have won just four of their 11 away games this season.
WATCH as myself and Barney Corkhill discuss this match on the SM Sofa:
I said that I was expecting goals today, but this fixture also has a fiery recent history with six red cards in the last nine games. Will Mr Dean have to delve into his pocket and send someone for an early bath?
PREDICTION TIME: With just 10 minutes until kickoff in the North-West, it's time for my pre-match prediction. I'm hoping for a really entertaining game and am just going to back City to win 3-2.
Can Arsenal take advantage of Vincent Kompany, who could be a little rusty today. The Belgian has missed nine of the last 10 games and the likes of Alexis will fancy their chances of causing him plenty of problems.
While Alexis and Giroud will be hoping for an out-of-sorts Kompany, Arsenal centre-backs Koscielny and Mertesacker will hope that Aguero won't be firing on all cylinders in his first start in six weeks.
The two sides are out of the tunnel and we're just moments away from kickoff at the Etihad.
KICKOFF! City get us underway for what should be a cracking contest. The hosts are all in blue, while Arsenal have their yellow and navy away kit on. Not sure why they can't wear their red and white home colours.
BOOKING! It's mostly been all City in the first minutes of the game and Arsenal have already been hit with a yellow card after Koscielny took out Fernando. The advantage was played and Aguero's cross blocked out for a corner, but Dean made sure to book Koscielny once the ball had gone out.
The corner comes to nothing and down the other end Arsenal almost have a chance of their own as Alexis hits a high ball over the top for Cazorla and his volleyed cross is crucially blocked by Kompany with Giroud completely unmarked in the middle.
Excellent covering by Fernandinho to deny Alexis a shooting opportunity after the Chilean had been picked out by Oxlade-Chamberlain's pass. Arsenal had good numbers forward there after Demichelis's loose touch had gifted Giroud the ball, but they couldn't take advantage.
City have had around 75% possession in the opening 10 minutes, but still we await the first shot of the game.
Koscielny will have to be very careful for the remaining 80 minutes or so now that he's on a booking.
© Getty Images
© Getty Images
And still we wait for a shot at the Etihad. City continue to have more of the ball, but they're not really causing Arsenal any problems. Aguero got into the box in the opening couple of minutes, but since then he's been very quiet.
As for Arsenal's superstar, Alexis has seen more of the ball, but he hasn't yet made a telling contribution in the final third.
CLOSE! Arsenal are the team to have the first shot as Demichelis is easily beaten to the ball on the wing by Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose low cross to the near post is met by a stooping Giroud. The Frenchman makes decent contact, and it might also hit Kompany, as the ball flies wide.
Hart nervously punches the resulting corner half-clear when he could have caught it, but Arsenal can't make the most of being given the ball back. Good few minutes for the Gunners.
Fabulous pass from Fernandinho as he perfectly picks out the run of Silva, who heads the ball in the direction of Aguero, but Mertesacker is alert to the danger and hooks clear. Arsenal are doing really well to frustrate City, who still haven't had a shot.
PENALTY FOR ARSENAL!
GOAL! CITY 0-1 ARSENAL (CAZORLA, PEN.)
First blood to Arsenal and you have to say that they might deserve it after the last 10 minutes. Cazorla powerfully sidefoots it into the corner from 12 yards after Kompany had bodychecked Monreal in the box. It was a little soft, but Kompany clearly moved his body in the Spaniard's direction and wasn't looking anywhere near the ball.
It will be interesting to see how City respond here. Arsenal's performances down the years in big games like this have been pretty poor and they will want to build on taking the lead against a City side who have won 25 of Pellegrini's 29 home league games.
Ramsey wastes a good chance for Arsenal on the counter-attack as he neither shoots or finds a teammate when he could have done both. He had Alexis and Oxlade-Chamberlain to his right and Giroud to the left, but left it too long to pass and the latter was miles offside.
Half an hour gone and we are still waiting for City's first shot on goal. Arsenal have had two, including Cazorla's precise penalty.
Nice play down the right from City, but Zabaleta's cutback to the edge of the box is harmlessly hit out of play by Navas, who was trying to find fellow Spaniard Silva with an extremely difficult pass.
Little and large at the Etihad as Cazorla is congratulated by Giroud following his cool penalty.
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© Getty Images
City's first attempt on goal arrives in the 36th minute and it's a tame one as Milner's floated cross is well met by Aguero, whose flicked header drifts a couple of yards wide. Ospina was never worried.
BOOKING! A second Arsenal player goes into the book as Ramsey scythes down Aguero in the middle of the park. Unnecessary from the Welshman as Cazorla was about to dispossess the Argentinian.
BOOKING! Kompany joins Koscielny and Ramsey in the book by upending Giroud, who had eased out Zabaleta and brilliantly brought down the ball.
City's fans are fired up as the first half comes to a close. They've had a little more luck getting in behind Arsenal's full-backs in the last couple of minutes, but the final ball isn't there for Aguero.
Just the one minute of added time at the end of what has very much been Arsenal's half.
HALF-TIME: CITY 0-1 ARSENAL
It's Arsenal with a deserved 1-0 lead at the break then. Cazorla made no mistake from the spot after Kompany's bodycheck on Monreal.
If you're only just joining us on SM and want a quick rundown of the opening 45, our half-time report will help you out.
I mentioned beforehand that this fixture has had goals, goals, goals in recent years. It doesn't look that way at the moment, though, with just four total shots in the match. City have had just one - a weak Aguero header - while Arsenal have been much better with three, despite having only 35% possession.
The Gunners have most impressed in defence, though. Completely nullifying the threat of not only Aguero, but also David Silva, who is having an awfully quiet game. Navas has been wasteful in possession on several occasions, while Milner is doing very little down the left.
As things stand in the Premier League table, Arsenal will be climbing back above North London rivals Spurs and closing to within eight points of second-placed City. Chelsea will remain five clear at the summit.
Pellegrini's side need to sharpen up and it appears that he's ready to make a half-time change as Jovetic is out to warm up at half time and is receiving instructions from assistant boss Brian Kidd.
CITY SUB: Jovetic is on at the break for Milner, which should see Silva drift out wide as Pellegrini goes with two strikers.
KICKOFF! We're back underway in Manchester. Will Silva be able to enjoy more space and have more of an effect if he is able to drift in from wider areas?
SHOT! Early impetus from City as Fernandinho surges forward from the middle and feeds it out to Aguero on the right. City's top scorer cuts inside onto his left foot and sees a deflected shot fly wide.
It's been a wildly open start to the second half - far too open for Wenger's liking, that's for sure. Both sides have had attacks in numbers and if it carries on like this then my 3-2 prediction will be much more likely.
A poor touch from Ramsey after he was well found on the edge of the box by Cazorla. Arsenal will have chances on the counter the way City are playing at the moment.
SAVE & SHOT! Navas, whose last Premier League goal was exactly a year ago, tests Ospina with a fizzing drive from out wide before Fernando's difficult volley in the area took a deflection as it flew over. Better from City already in the second half.
Sanchez goes for goal from an extremely tight angle and his shot actually goes out for a throw-in on the far side.
BOOKING! 2-2 on the yellow-card count as Fernandinho is cautioned for deliberately breaking up Arsenal's attack with his arm.
CHANCE! Big, big chance for Arsenal to double their lead. City are short at the back and the Gunners, with their excellent passing, should be able to take advantage. However, Alexis, Giroud and Ramsey can't make the most of it, with the latter firing over.
BOOKING! Just after Ramsey fires over, Bellerin is booked for an earlier challenge that Dean made a mental note of. Kopmany, who has already been booked, can maybe also count himself lucky after taking out Alexis when Arsenal were counter-attacking. Could have easily been shown a second yellow.
CLOSE! It's so open out there at the moment. Arsenal can't resist but pile men forward when they have the chance, but they do look exposed at the back and so unlike the side that defended so stodgily in the first half. City's latest chance comes from Navas's low cross from the right and both Aguero and Jovetic fail to convert in the middle.
Jovetic has been decent since coming on and City's next change will see Frank Lampard enter the fray. Can the wily old veteran score to help City close the gap to his old club Chelsea?
CITY SUB: I'm a little surprised to see Fernandinho taken off as I thought he had been City's best player so far. Lampard on.
We know how good Lampard is at arriving in the box at just the right time. Can he do it yet again?
ARSENAL SUB: Wenger makes his first change of the afternoon, replacing Oxlade-Chamberlain with Tomas Rosicky.
GOAL! CITY 0-2 ARSENAL (GIROUD)
Arsenal double their lead! It's a simple goal as Cazorla's lovely dinked free kick is headed home from close range by Giroud. You have to look at both Fernando and Lampard there. The former should have been marking better, while Lampard played the Frenchman onside.
City win their 10th corner of the game, but it comes to nothing and it's now a huge mountain for the Premier League champions to climb this afternoon. Remember, they started this game on a 12-game unbeaten stretch.
Following their second goal, Arsenal have tightened up again at the back after the end-to-end, basketball-like first 20 minutes of the second half.
SAVE! Cazorla does really well to hold off several challenges before laying the ball into the middle for Ramsey. The Welshman has it taken off his hands by Giroud before Alexis cuts inside from the left and has a decent effort comfortably beaten away by Hart.
Back come City down the other end and they have a shot of their own through Navas, whose low shot towards the near post is easy for Ospina to hold onto.
Arsenal almost shoot themselves in the foot as Lampard's harmless cross into the middle is sliced over his own crossbar by Monreal when he could have just let it run through to Ospina.
Have Pellegrini's side got anything left to give? It looks like Wenger is about to end his seven-game winless streak in Manchester.
© AFP
© AFP
CITY SUB: Pellegrini's last throw of the dice is to send Dzeko on for Navas.
Wonderful play from Cazorla once more as he dribbles the ball away from the edge of his own box before making a tackle with his face. What commitment from the little Spaniard.
SIDE-NETTING! Jovetic drills a left-foot volley from inside the box into the near side-netting via a deflection. City are pressing, but Arsenal continue to hold firm and the visitors will continue to be dangerous on the break.
As City win their 14th corner - Arsenal have had just the one, by the way - Ramsey stays down with what appears to just be general tiredness. He's worked his socks off today in his first start of the year. Wouldn't be surprised to see him come off, especially as he's been booked as well.
ARSENAL SUBS: No goal or assist for Sanchez today, but he has run and run and is replaced by Gibbs. In midfield, Ramsey, as expected, is taken off and replaced by Flamini.
BOOKING! Aguero can have no arguments as he was clearly tugging back Gibbs's shirt with Arsenal streaking forward on the break.
Dzeko makes a poor decision by shooting from a tight angle and making it easy for Ospina at the near post. He had Lampard in the middle and Silva and Aguero ready for a cutback.
CLOSE! Kompany meets Silva's corner but can't flick his header inside the near post.
Arsenal should probably be three up. Flamini gets into the box but can't pick out Giroud or Cazorla with his cutback. Good defending by Clichy to cut it out.
FOUR minutes of time added on at the Etihad. City need a goal quickly if they're to have any chance of stealing a point.
Nothing coming from City. This game is over and Arsenal fully deserve their win.
FULL-TIME: CITY 0-2 ARSENAL
City's unbeaten run ends in the unlucky 13th game. They end the weekend five points behind league leaders Chelsea and five points clear of third-placed Southampton.
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© Getty Images
It's just two defeats in 13 games in all competitions for Arsenal, with nine wins coming in that stretch. They move back up to fifth and are just a point behind Manchester United in fourth.
A worrying stat for City fans - they have not won any of the four games that Yaya Toure has missed this season (three draws, one defeat). The midfielder is away for around a month at the Africa Cup of Nations, remember.
Anyway, that's all we've got time for here today. Thanks for joining us for an entertaining game and rare impressive performance away from home in a big game from Arsenal. Stick around on SM for reaction, match analysis and player ratings from the Etihad this evening.
Written by
Pascal Lemesre
Pascal Lemesre
