Five memorable recent clashes between this weekend’s opponents.As Arsenal and Manchester City meet at the Emirates Stadium this weekend, CaughtOffside looks back at some recent memorable encounters between these two Premier League giants.
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Although City have had the upper hand on the Gunners in recent times, these two have usually provided some close encounters and thrilling contests, with the goals flying in at the Etihad Stadium in particular, with last season’s meeting in Manchester a perfect example of the entertaining attacking football these two teams can play at their best.
Manchester City 6-3 Arsenal – 2013/14
A game you simply couldn’t take your eyes off, Manchester City and Arsenal served up a thrilling contest at the Etihad last season, as the goals flew in at both ends.
Sergio Aguero gave City the lead in the 13th minute, finishing off acrobatically from a corner. Shortly afterwards, some questionable defending from the home team allowed Theo Walcott to slot in an equaliser from Mesut Ozil’s pass. It wasn’t long before Manuel Pellegrini’s side were back in front, however, with Alvaro Negredo finishing off a flowing move to make it 2-1 at the break.
The goals kept coming in the second half, with Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho curling home a beauty before Walcott pulled one back for the Gunners again with a well-taken effort into the top corner.
Still, Arsenal’s defending let them down again as David Silva was unmarked to tap home at the near post almost straight away, restoring the two-goal cushion, which was then increased as Fernandinho waltzed his way through to chip in his second and City’s fifth.
The visitors responded again with a stoppage time header from Per Mertesacker, but there was still time for the home side to inflict another blow to their opponents as Yaya Toure slotted home from the penalty spot after James Milner looked to have gone down rather easily.
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Manchester City 4-2 Arsenal – 2009/10
A close encounter spiralled out of control late on at the Etihad Stadium back in 2009. Manchester City took the lead in a close contest in the first half, with Micah Richards’ header looping over Manuel Almunia and then into the back of the net off the hapless Gunners goalkeeper.
Robin van Persie levelled things up in the second half as Arsenal looked like improving, and the Dutchman did brilliantly to lose Joleon Lescott with a fine first touch and low finish into the far corner with his right foot.
However, City then took control of the game with three goals in quick succession. First Craig Bellamy slotted home from Richards’ pass, and then Emmanuel Adebayor memorably headed home a third past his old club before celebrating wildly in front of the visiting fans.
Shaun Wright-Phillips scored a superb fourth after being played in by Bellamy, chipping gently over the onrushing Almunia, and Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky finished off a fine move to give the Gunners a late consolation in a frantic end to the match.
Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City 2011/12
In one of Arsenal’s most memorable wins at the Emirates Stadium, a single goal decided this tight encounter back in the 2011/12 season.
With Manchester City’s title challenge looking like falling apart, Arsenal dealt a major blow to their hopes with a stunning winner late in the game. Mikel Arteta won the ball off Sergio Aguero in the final third before driving on and unleashing a low, powerful effort past Joe Hart to send the home crowd wild.
Although this defeat left City eight points behind Manchester United, they mounted an incredible recovery late on in the season to beat their rivals to the Premier League title.
Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City – 2007/08
In a game most well remembered for a superb goalkeeping performance from Kasper Schmeichel, Arsenal ground out Manchester City in an early meeting in the 2007/08 season.
City were not yet taken over by Sheikh Monsour, but looked a team on the up under Sven-Goran Eriksson as they went into the game at the Emirates Stadium still to concede a goal all season.
Schmeichel looked like maintaining their fine defensive record with a penalty save from Robin van Persie, but he could not keep out a fierce Cesc Fabregas shot late on, with the Spaniard finishing off a fine Arsenal move.
The son of the legendary Peter Schmeichel, he nearly replicated his father in another respect as he got forward from a corner late on, though his headed effort was saved by Manuel Almunia.
Manchester City 1-1 Arsenal 2012/13
In a well-earned point at the start of the 2012/13 season, Arsenal’s late equaliser saw these two sides draw 1-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
Lescott gave the home side the lead in the first half, heading home from a corner after some poor marking from the Gunners, but they were pegged back late on as they also dealt badly with a set-piece, allowing Laurent Koscielny to slam home the loose ball from inside the box.
Both sides then missed great chances in the dying stages, with Aguero skewing wide from close range and Gervinho showing a terrible lack of composure to blast over after a fine run on goal.