Slick City hits Arsenal for 6 to throw open title race
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Manchester City exposed the first cracks in Arsenal’s title challenge, beating the English Premier League leader 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium as its attacking talents cut loose in another free-scoring home display yesterday.
City’s stylish showmen sealed their eighth consecutive home league success by out-punching Arsenal, whose previously watertight defense was prised open at will by the hosts’ marauding all-out attack.
It was the third time this season that City scored six or more, after Manuel Pellegrini’s men dished out similarly crushing blows to Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich City, and cut Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table to three points.
“It’s not easy to score six goals against Arsenal; the best defense in the Premier League, the best team this year,” Chilean Pellegrini said.
“We are three points behind. We must continue working and improving because we have a lot more things to improve.”
The win also put down a light blue marker in a now-congested title race that could have turned decisively in Arsenal’s favor had it managed to conjure a win.
“At times the tempo was frightening,” City captain Vincent Kompany told BT Sport.
“We looked to be in control of the game for most of it. There were no standout individual performances but collectively we’ve done incredibly well.
“I don’t know so much about messages. The biggest message is if we beat Fulham next.
“It is a real fortress here.”
City has scored 35 goals at home this season to climbed to second place in the table on 32 points, although Chelsea can move above it by beating second-bottom Crystal Palace later yesterday.
Third-placed Liverpool (30), also five points behind Arsenal, is at sixth-placed Tottenham Hotspur today.
Arsenal, meanwhile, has now lost three times this season, and manager Arsene Wenger said: “Overall, they deserved the win. We have to go home and recover and come back for the next time. We made too many technical mistakes today.”
City, whose early opener from Sergio Aguero was cancelled out by Theo Walcott, opened up a two-goal lead with Alvaro Negredo and Fernandinho efforts either side of halftime.
Arsenal briefly rallied with a superb second from striker Walcott, but David Silva restored the two-goal lead from close range and Fernandinho poked home his second to maintain City’s 100 percent home league record.
Even Per Mertesacker’s late consolation for Arsenal was trumped by City as Yaya Toure stroked in a stoppage time penalty.
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