David Silva’s creativity allows Pep Guardiola to focus on big picture | Barney Ronay


Manchester City’s playmaker dovetailed beautifully with Kevin De Bruyne to wrestle control of the Premier League match with Arsenal for a 2-1 victory

Much has been made of the fact that this Pep‑project Manchester City is a work in progress, a mutable thing, still looking to find its rhythms and shapes. At the Etihad Stadium, for 20 minutes either side of half-time, City seemed to be evolving at an irradiated speed as first David Silva and then Kevin De Bruyne dug their fingernails into this game and wrenched it their way.

Until that point Alexis Sánchez had been the outstanding figure on show. So keen right now to assert his own market value, Sánchez had whirled and sprinted at Manchester City’s defence in that familiar amphetamine-crazed Action Man-style,so barrel-chested he looks from a distance like a yellow‑shirted cube, propelled about the place by two furiously pumping pistons, arms paddling the turf.

Related: Raheem Sterling completes Manchester City turnaround against Arsenal

Related: Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal: Five talking points from the Etihad | Jamie Jackson

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