They beat Manchester City at the Etihad…
Arsenal managed to end their terrible form against the big teams of the Premier League with a 2-0 win against Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday.
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Here are five reasons why the Gunners were able to turn it around…
5) They didn’t try to match the champions
They didn’t try to match the Citizens by attacking them, as they have done in other matches away at the big sides. The North London club played within themselves and managed to win the match as a result. Their disciplined defending was especially impressive considering the 6-3 drubbing that they received the last time they played there.
They were clinical
The manner in which the Gunners took their chances was also key in how the match ended up. They only had three shots on target throughout the ninety minutes, but despite this they still grabbed themselves two goals. For a team that has been known for its profligacy in the past, this is a great improvement.
Didn’t panic when the pressure was on
Just after half time Manchester City came out from the break with a lot of momentum and put a lot of pressure on the Arsenal back line. Despite this they held firm, with Arsene Wenger’s men not conceding. This is in contrast to the thrashings that they were on the wrong end of in the last campaign, where the defence capitulated when under the smallest bit of pressure.
The Citizens were poor
The Premier League champions were not in the best of form in the match on Sunday afternoon, and should be disappointed with their performance. Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero can perhaps be forgiven for their play as they have only just come back from injury, but Fernando and Fernandinho seemed almost non-existent in the middle of the park. The pair showed how much the Citizens miss Yaya Toure, and they will want the Ivorian to return from the African Cup Of Nations as soon as possible.
Man of the match Santi Cazorla
The diminutive Gunner was highly influential in the 2-0 victory, constantly driving his team forward, and always making himself a reliable out ball for the defence. He was the best player on the pitch, and showed why World Cup winner Mesut Ozil was left on the substitutes bench for the entire match.