Despite nearly opening the scoring through Gabriel Martinelli, City went straight back down the other end and open the scoring through Kevin De Bruyne, who hammered his volley into the roof of the net from a Gabriel Jesus cross. The Belgian hit it so hard and with so much purpose that it left Raheem Sterling on the floor in a bit to avoid the inevitable thunderbolt.
De Bruyne scored the first one and proved hes playing on a higher plane than the rest of the mere mortals on the pitch around him as he picked up a one two, ghosted into the area and played the ball behind the rest of the Arsenal defence to give Sterling a tap in and his 10th assist of the season.
Arsenal have been in freefall this season and the removal of Unai Emery hasnt been able to change that. Freddie Ljungberg may be a club legend and a promising coach but hes got a task on his hands to get the Gunners firing.
Bad to worse
And his task got harder after 38 minutes when Sead Kolasinac went off after turning over his ankle and was replaced by Bukao Saka. But the pain was about to get worse via de Bruyne, who had the game on a bit of string. His devastatingly accurate shot from outside the area curled past Bernd Leno like he was doing a training ground drill. And then he was at it again, but Lenos fingertips prevented the Belgian from grabbing a hat-trick.
Second verse, same as the first.
Arsenal attacked brightly but as usual it came to nothing, and slowly City started to wake up from the brief slumber they went into in the first half. Its a good job Ljunberg was bald before start of this game because watching this side play football would leave the most folicly endowed the struggling.
After all that excitement this game petered out into a strangely neutered affair that wouldnt feel out of place during pre-season. Arsenal struggled in attack and City strolled towards another three points and a showing that reminded us all of their qualities, despite recent struggles.