Manchester City vs Arsenal Match Report
Manchester City and Arsenal play out a goalless draw at the Etihad on Sunday in the Premier League. Despite having a combined 18 shots in the game, only three were on target as neither were able to carve out clear-cut opportunities to find the back of the net.
Having beaten City 1-0 at home earlier this season, Arsenal were eager to complete an unlikely league double over them for the first time in nine years and had the momentum in their favor too, coming into the fixture on the back of eight consecutive wins. However, it was the Sky Blues that started the match on the stronger foot.
As expected, City were keeping much of the possession, but struggled to conjure something special as Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland didn’t see much of the ball. Arsenal, meanwhile, were content to sit back and block all passing lanes, maintaining a water-tight defense.
In the 31st minute, against the run of play, Gabriel Jesus was the beneficiary of a golden opportunity to break the deadlock for the visitors, as Jakob Kiwior set him up brilliantly, but the Brazilian striker fired it wide, missing a chance to score against his former club.
With no real goalmouth action for the remainder of the half, City and Arsenal went into the break goalless, hoping for more opening after the break. And it promised so earlier on, with Mateo Kovacic going close for City and Bukayo Saka sending in a teasing cross for Jesus.
The momentum, however, fizzled out as the match wore on, with neither side able to find the winner. For the first time in 58 home games, City failed to score a goal, whereas Arsenal kept a clean sheet against them in both league fixtures. Liverpool were the biggest winners of the night, though, as the Reds pulled two points clear at the top.
Manchester City vs Arsenal Player Ratings
Manchester City
Stefan Ortega (GK) – 7/10: He had only two saves to make with Arsenal not at their usual attacking best
Manuel Akanji (RB) – 7.1/10: The Swiss international struggled earlier on before finding his feet
Ruben Dias (CB) – 7.4/10: An assured performance in the centre back position
Nathan Ake (CB) – 6.6/10: Ake missed a good chance to score early on before his evening was cut short prematurely with an injury
Josko Gvardiol (LB) – 7.8/10: The marauding Croatian asked question of Arsenal’s backline but also kept Saka quiet at the other end
Rodri (DM) – 8.4/10: City’s pass master was at it again, running the game from the deep with his passing accuracy and vision; the Spaniard also laid three key passes
Bernardo Silva (RW) – 7.1/10: He started the game brightly, but fizzled out after the break
Kevin De Bruyne (AM) – 7.7/10: The Belgian magician laid 16 crosses and four key passes, but no one could finish them
Mateo Kovacic (AM) – 6.8/10: His passing range was spectacular but couldn’t offer any direct offensive threat
Phil Foden (LW) – 6.9/10: Probably his worst game of the season, with Foden barely visible for the 61 minutes that he was on the pitch for
Erling Haaland (ST) – 6.7/10: The Norwegian striker had an uncharacteristically poor game, failing to muster a single shot on target
Arsenal
David Raya (GK) – 7/10: The Arsenal custodian made a few poor clearances but thankfully for him, none of them were disastrous enough for City to pounce on and score
Ben White (RB) – 7.2/10: An offensive threat for City with his forward movements and even created two chances in the opening half for Gabriel Jesus
William Saliba (CB) – 7.5/10: City’s intensity sometimes unsettled him, but overall a reliable figure for the Gunners, making five clearances and one block
Gabriel (CB) – 7/10: He dealt with the might of Haaland, keeping him at arm’s length
Jakob Kiwior (LB) – 6.7/10: He was the target of much of City’s attacks as the hosts always sought to find a way past him
Martin Odegaard (RM) – 6.7/10: The Norwegian laid two key passes in the match but was overall just average
Jorginho (CM) – 6.5/10: A lot of commitment by the veteran midfielder
Declan Rice (LM) – 6.8/10: His physicality and positioning gave City plenty to think about in midfield
Bukayo Saka (RW) – 6.5/10: An off-day for Arsenal’s talismanic forward, who offered no real threat going forward, besides one good cross in the second half
Kai Havertz (ST) – 6.7/10: He was starved of proper service but whenever Havertz was on the ball, the German threatened City with his excellent hold-up play and crossing
Gabriel Jesus (LW) – 7.2/10: The Brazilian was missing his attacking boots tonight, as he spurned two chances to score against his former side