Manchester City 5, Arsenal 0
Manchester City piled more misery on 10-man Arsenal with another five goal thrashing at the Etihad Stadium in a lunchtime stroll.
Embed from Getty ImagesCaptain Ilkay Gundogan got City off to a quick start when he headed past Bernd Leno while Ferran Torres got himself on the scoresheet despite a brief VAR check for a foul on Calum Chambers.
Arsenal lost their discipline and Granit Xhaka was sent off for a reckless challenge on Joao Cancelo after 35 minutes.
Gabriel Jesus got a goal that his performance deserved before the break before Rodri curled in a stunning 25 yard effort after half time before Torres netted his second with 6 minutes to go as City cruised to an easy win over the Gunners.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 5, Arsenal 0
Ederson: 6. Some early action for the goalkeeper but nothing to save despite allowing Emile Smith Rowe a chance under pressure – the ball deflected wide.
Kyle Walker: 7. Recovery pace and telescopic legs to cut out some Arsenal passes into the final third as he mopped stuff up after an early Arsenal surge. Relished battle with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Ruben Dias: 7. Tried his passing range out with little on at the back for City.
Aymeric Laporte: 7. Easy afternoon for the defender.
Joao Cancelo: 7. Not as much opportunity to get forward after early Arsenal pressure – wary of Bukayo Saka. He switched to right back after Saka went off and also had a late shot saved by Bernd Leno.
Ilkay Gundogan (C): 8. Back in the goals again for the German who created space for himself and headed past Bernd Leno.
Rodri: 8. Able to roam at will despite the Gunners periodically flooding midfield. He inevitably scored from the edge of the box with a 25 yard effort that curled inside the post.
Bernardo Silva: 7. Deep balls into dangerous areas. Set up Ferran Torres.
Gabriel Jesus: 8. Great wing play again to provide his third assist at the Etihad this term. Crossing again was a danger and he tracked back relentlessly. Got a just reward – a goal before half time.
Jack Grealish: 7. Drawing fouls and making runs happily until understaffed Arsenal couldn’t stem the tide any more and he provided the final ball for Gabriel Jesus to make it 3-0.
Ferran Torres: 9. Worried Arsenal’s static defence with runs, scored City’s second and started the move for the third before setting up Rodri for City’s fourth. Headed a deserved fifth for City.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (on for Kyle Walker, 46): 6. On with Arsenal well beaten. Forced a save from Bernd Leno with a long drive but had an easy afternoon.
Raheem Sterling (on for Bernardo Silva, 54) 7. Tormented the tired Arsenal defence, he was denied twice by Bernd Leno and he had a couple of shots too.
Riyad Mahrez (on for Gabriel Jesus, 61): 8. Put in a series of tempting balls in for Raheem Sterling but it was his lofted cross to Ferran Torres that was converted for City’s fifth. Had a late shot saved by Bernd Leno.
GOALS – Manchester City 5, Arsenal 0
Man City 1, Arsenal 0: 7. Gabriel Jesus crossed from the right and Ilkay Gundogan stole in at the back post behind Calum Chambers to convert past Bernd Leno who could not prevent the ball going past him.
Man City 2, Arsenal 0: 12. Ferran Torres smashed in the second after a deep cross into the area from Bernardo Silva evaded everyone including Cedric Soares and reached Torres who shot across Leno for City’s second.
Man City 3, Arsenal 0: 43. Gabriel Jesus got on the scoresheet after Jack Grealish cut in the from the left after a ball forward by Ferran Torres cut it back to Gabriel Jesus who had time to pick his spot.
Man City 4, Arsenal 0: 53. Rodri curled in a peach of a goal with a low drive from 25 yards out after a layoff by Ferran Torres.
Man City 5, Arsenal 0: 84. Ferran Torres made it two for the day with a close range header from a Riyad Mahrez cross.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 5, Arsenal 0
Man City: Ederson, Walker (Zinchenko 46), Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Gundogan (C), Rodri, Bernardo Silva (Sterling 57), Jesus (Mahrez 61), Grealish, Torres
Man City subs not used: Steffen, Stones, Ake, Fernandinho, Doyle, Palmer
Booking: Rodri 67 (foul on Kieran Tierney)
Goals: Gundogan 7; Torres 12, 84; Jesus 43; Rodri 53
Arsenal: Leno, Soares, Chambers, Holding, Kolasinac, Tierney, Odegaard (Maitland-Niles 71), Smith Rowe, Xhaka, Saka (Elneny 46), Aubameyang (C) (Lacazette 59)
Arsenal subs not used: Ramsdale, Tavares, Mari, Lokonga, Okwonkwo, Martinelli
Booking: Cedric 24 (foul on Jack Grealish); Kolasinac 28 (foul on Gabriel Jesus)
Red Card: Granit Xhaka 35 (reckless sliding tackle on Joao Cancelo)
Referee: Martin Atkinson