Monday 19 January 2015 10:02, UK
Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Manchester City bucked trends, highlighted absences and shifted the title race in Chelsea’s favour.
Here we look at the five main talking points from the big Super Sunday clash at the Etihad…
Santi Cazorla
Santi Cazorla produced a central-midfield masterclass on Sunday. The Spain international scored from the penalty spot and crossed for Olivier Giroud to head in Arsenal’s second but that is only half the story of an all-action performance from the man of the match.
"He controlled that midfield," said new Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry after the game. "To come and play the way he played here at the Etihad is just outstanding. He came to do a job and when you see Santi Cazorla smashing that ball forward, you know that's what he came for."
A passing accuracy of 92 per cent demonstrated the on-ball talent possessed by the Arsenal midfielder, but his tireless pressing, enthusiasm in the tackle and desire to shut David Silva out of the game, were traits previously not normally associated with the 30-year-old.
Coupled with Francis Coquelin, the midfield duo were central to Arsenal’s disciplined display and set the tone for their team-mates, who denied Man City valuable space in the final third.
Arsenal end streak
"We finally got a big win in a big game away from home," a satisfied Arsene Wenger told Sky Sports after the game when asked for the one thing which pleased him most about the victory.
The Gunners' success at the Etihad was just the third time in the past six seasons Arsenal have won away at an opponent who finished in the top four in the previous campaign.
Whether Sunday’s win proves to be a false dawn, in terms of Arsenal’s form against the big sides, as the wins at Chelsea in October 2011 and Liverpool in December 2009 were, remains to be seen. However, the hard-working, disciplined display seems far more repeatable than the end-to-end 5-3 triumph at Stamford Bridge just over three years ago.
Man City missing Toure?
Manchester City have not won any of the four Premier League games Yaya Toure has missed this season, and this, the second match since he departed for the Africa Cup of Nations, seemed tailored made for his energetic midfield presence and knack for scoring a stunner from nowhere, which has so often in the past undone previously resolute defences.
Toure’s six goals in eight games at the end of 2014 and start of 2015 highlight the impact he can have for the champions but, with Chelsea next up in the league, Manuel Pellegrini must find a way to do without his key man.
However, the Chilean is adamant his squad can cope. "Yaya Toure is a very important player for us, but we played without Sergio Aguero and now we must play without Yaya," he said after the defeat to Arsenal. "This team cannot depend on just one player. That is not the reason why we lost."
Man City five points behind Chelsea
The defeat to Arsenal was the first time Man City have conceded two or more goals in three successive Premier League home games since September-October 2002. However, there will only be one statistic concerning Pellegrini on Sunday evening – the five points which separate his side and league leaders Chelsea.
Having so impressively closed the eight-point advantage Jose Mourinho’s men had previously built up, defeat to Arsenal, 24 hours after Chelsea’s thumping 5-0 win at Swansea, hands the title race momentum back to the west-London side. This weekend’s results have put even more importance on the Sky Live clash between the Premier League’s top two on January 31.
"How many times have we said Man City are out of it and somehow at the end of the season they manage to do it?” asked Henry. "But the game at the Bridge is going to be a massive one, they have to win."
Penalty call
"The penalty changed the game. I don't like to think it was a penalty, it was not a penalty. The movement of Vincent Kompany allows him [Nacho Monreal] to dive. It was unnecessary to do it [award the penalty] and after that it seemed that the game changed."
It’s fair to say Pellegrini was less than impressed with Mike Dean’s decision to award Arsenal a first-half penalty. Wenger, in contrast, said his initial reaction was that Kompany had indeed brought down Monreal in the box.
Up in the Sky Sports studio, Gary Neville was adamant who he thought was at fault…
"This is what you do when you’re rusty, you don’t shift your legs," he said about Kompany, who was returning to the starting XI after a hamstring injury. "It's the sign of a player that’s been out for a period of time."
