Claude Puel’s rotation proves a winner, opportunity finally knocks for Michy Batshuayi, and Mesut Özil’s invisibility at City should worry Arsène Wenger Related: The Dozen: the weekend's best Premier League photos Related: Premier League 2015-16 fans’ verdicts part one: Arsenal to Manchester United Related: Premier League fans’ half-time verdict part 2: Manchester United to West Ham Continue reading...
Manchester City’s playmaker dovetailed beautifully with Kevin De Bruyne to wrestle control of the Premier League match with Arsenal for a 2-1 victoryMuch 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...
Manchester City steamrollered Arsenal in the second half to stay in touch with Chelsea while Arsène Wenger’s side showed a familiar Jekyll-and-Hyde personaBefore the game Pep Guardiola said: “Today we can make further progress by beating one of the best and most consistent sides in the league. Today’s match is our last here in 2016 and we want to say goodbye with a great performance. If we can do that we have moved back above one of the big rivals for the title.” After a torrid first half this was how the contest ended as City transformed from an aimless bunch to a menacing proposition that steamrollered Arsenal in the second period. Given that Guardiola’s men were watery despite defeating...
Arsenal right-back was perfect fit for City’s new manager – a young player with Barcelona DNA and an education in the Premier LeagueThe overtures started around February time, when Manchester City had announced that Pep Guardiola would become their new manager at the end of the season. Guardiola wanted a full-back with searing pace and attacking instincts, somebody to build the play out from the back, and he wanted Héctor Bellerín of Arsenal.To Guardiola, it was the perfect fit – a young player with Barcelona DNA and an education in the Premier League. These days, there is little doubt that, at only 21, the former Barcelona youth-team player is the finest right-back in England. Bellerín was named in last season’s...
The striker did not quite live up to the hype at Manchester City but is in prime form and helping Roma in their pursuit of a first Serie A title since 2001Edin Dzeko never did turn into Marco van Basten at Manchester City. That is what some predicted would happen when he joined from Wolfsburg for £27m in January 2011 having scored 66 goals in 111 appearances for the German club. Aged 24, he appeared to have the strength, speed and skill to become a world-class centre-forward. Van Basten’s image adorned Dzeko’s bedroom walls growing up in Sarajevo and, in the Bosnian’s own words, he was “very flattered” to be seen as a modern-day version of the Dutch legend upon...