Arsenal vs Manchester City on New Year’s Day was one of the best games of the 2021/22 Premier League season so far.
The Gunners played very well and went toe-to-toe with the champions, before losing to a 93rd-minute Rodri winner.
But it was not all great football. Such was the speed and intensity of the match, a few mistakes were inevitable.
And we witnessed two glaring errors within five seconds of each other during the second half. Sandwiched in-between was one of the finest pieces of defending you are likely to see.
Error number one came courtesy of Aymeric Laporte with the clock showing 57.35. Laporte made a real mess of a headed back-pass, which resulted in the ball looping over the head of goalkeeper Ederson and spinning towards City’s net.
Step forward Nathan Ake, who did incredibly well to cover by racing back to the goal-line and sliding the ball clear just before it crossed. Ake’s intervention was one of the plays of the season so far.
But it was followed by arguably the miss of the season so far by Arsenal attacker Gabriel Martinelli.
what a clearance from Nathan Ake ??? pic.twitter.com/l46xNcWQxZ
— Eii Scanty (@EiiScanty) January 1, 2022
SEE ALSO:
Joao Cancelo mocked for celebrating Gabriel red card
Watch Arsenal fans throw bottles and toilet rolls at Rodri as Man City win bad-tempered clash
WE ARE ALREADY A WINNER BY 12AM TO 12PM ON 1ST JANUARY 2021:
THE 2021 ARSENAL:
ARSENAL&FOOTBALL WORLD GAVE ETIHAD/CITY THE LEAD & SHULDNT JUSTIFY ARSENAL GOING TO CHAM-LEAGUE.
MANCHESTER CITY DEFEATED AN AILING COACHLESS TEAM IMINENT TO RED CARD THOUGH AT EMIRATE ON NEW YEAR; DIFFICULT TO USE TO JUDGE ARSENAL; BUT CITY IS ALREADY TODAY A CHAMPION. SINCE PEP GUARDIOLA HAD BEEN BEATEN MIKEL WHILE ON DUTY,HE WINS & ARSENAL HAD WINNING RATION OVER CITY FOR YEARS;ARSENAL WON.
RECENT TROPHY GOES TO RECENT WINNER.
BEEN IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE OR TOP FOUR IS BASED ON SO MANY THINGS,MOST IMPORTANTLY ON GOOD RESULT, POINTS & HAD WORK!