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| Mesut Ozil (left) was the architect for Arsenal's two goals last night |
IT WAS a night to wonder at the Wizard of Oz at the Emirates. And in pantomime season, one that left Arsene Wenger in Wonderland.
Mesut Ozil may drift in and out of games to the occasional fury of Arsenal fans. But when the little German is “in,” Arsenal are a different team.
Mesut, with two beautiful assists – numbers 14 and 15 of this season – set up superb goals for Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud last night that laid down the gauntlet in the title chase, and made it a bleak night for City boss Manuel Pellegrini.
Wenger’s team, with their third win on the trot, are gathering ominous momentum. Pellegrini’s men, swept aside here, are going backwards.
We have seen it before of course from Arsenal, but with holiday games coming up against Southampton, Bournemouth and Newcastle, Claudio Ramieri’s table topping Leicester, who saw their lead last night cut to two points, will be feeling the hot breath of Wenger’s team on their necks.
City’s form before last night had, though, been much the more inconsistent, with two wins from their previous five games.
And what cannot have helped Pellegrini’s frame of mind was hearing Pep Guardiola being cited to take over from him in the summer whatever he achieved, thanks to the Spaniard revealing he was quitting Bayern Munich at the end of this campaign.
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| Olivier Giroud put the Gunners two up before the break |
Yet City had seemingly established an early grip on the match, as Arsenal nervously gave the ball away. Walcott almost pounced on an error as City dithered, but then Kevin De Bruyne tested Petr Cech with a low drive. There were flurries of worry for City, though, as Joe Hart did not punch cleanly but got away with it.
At the other end De Bruyne was causing problems. But, clean though onto a gorgeous flick from Sergio Aguero, the Belgian shot an inch wide, with David Silva screaming for a pass in front of a gaping goal. Pellegrini’s men paid the price instantly. Ozil fed Walcott and the England man cut inside before unleashing a glorious curling drive beyond Hart.
A rattled City then had Fernandinho to thank for a brilliant clearance which stopped a certain goal for Aaron Ramsey. Arsenal had seized control. As usual, the anxiety at the Emirates eased with a goal.
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| Sergio Aguero went off injured and appeared to be lacking match fitness |
City’s robust approach – Silva was booked and Aleksandar Kolarov lucky not to follow him into Andre Marriner’s notebook after a silly challenge on Joel Campbell – was failing.
And then it got worse for them, with Ozil once more the instigator. On the stroke of half time, the German slipped a lovely ball through to Giroud, who drove home his sixth goal in the last four games through Hart’s legs.
When Ozil ticks, Arsenal tick. Pellegrini threw on Raheem Sterling at half-time in a bid to turn the tide. City desperately powered forward, but it was Arsenal who almost snatched a third when Campbell flicked just over.
City were a shambles at the back, and after Campbell outstripped Kolarov for pace, only a last ditch save with his feet from Hart stopped him. Apart from two tame Aguero headers, City were offering little in attack.
Then, after another lovely flowing move involving – obviously – Ozil, which ripped City apart yet again, Ramsey was clean through onto Campbell’s pass and should have scored, but Hart once more saved the day. With his face.
Pellegrini’s team were simply unable to cope with Arsenal’s pace and verve on the break. It was a damaging, perplexing night for the Chilean. But a good one for Arsenal’s steadily growing belief.
City at last found some solace, when Yaya Toure, before that anonymous, struck Bacary Sagna’s pass beyond Petr Cech for a stunning late goal. It meant a nervy end, but it was too little, too late.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Flamini, Ramsey; Campbell, Ozil, Walcott; Giroud. Goals: Walcott, 33, Giroud, 45. Next up: Southampton (a), Sat PL.
Man City (4-2-3-1): Hart; Sagna, Otamendi, Mangala, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho; De Bruyne, Silva, Delph (Sterling 46); Aguero. Booked: Silva, Otamendi. Next up: Sunderland (h), Sat PL.
Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands).
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