PLAYER RATINGS BEN WHITE 7 The most dangerous visiting player going forward, probing into promising areas behind City’s back four.

2024-04-01 - By JACK GAUGHAN at the Etihad Stadium

MAN CITY (4-2- -1) TEAM AVERAGE 6.2

STEFAN ORTEGA 6

One big take from a set play early on settled the nerves. The German’s distribution could have been crisper.

MANUEL AKANJI 7.5 Giant performance again by Akanji. Strong in the challenge and good on the ball, he keeps standing tall.

RUBEN DIAS 7.5 Kept Havertz fairly quiet and followed him everywhere. Reliable once again at centre half.

NATHAN AKE 5 Forced off with a calf injury after 27 minutes. Hadn’t really got up to the pace of the game before then.

JOSKO GVARDIOL 5.5 Often the out ball for City. Went forward with purpose and completed a couple of big recovery tackles.

RODRI 8 Ran the game. Superb positioning when Arsenal countered and always City’s driving force.

MATEO KOVACIC 5.5 A microcosm of the Croatian’s debut season at City. Tidy enough, but a couple of mistakes and largely passive.

BERNARDO SILVA 5.5 Quick start to the match, then faded slightly, before taking a more active role as the game opened up a bit in second half.

KEVIN DE BRUYNE 6 Didn’t get going until the final quarter, when his influence grew and he looked the most likely to win City the game.

PHIL FODEN 6 Probably unfortunate to be hooked. Looked bright without anything coming off for him in tight spaces.

ERLING HAALAND 6 Good when involved, but not involved enough and could not sort his feet out when a late chance came his way.

SUBSTITUTES Rico Lewis 7 (for Ake, 27 min); Jeremy Doku 6.5 (Foden, 61); Jack Grealish 6.5 (Kovacic, 61).

PEP GUARDIOLA 6 Bold changes on the hour tried to force the issue but City did not really offer enough to deserve victory.

REFEREE: ANTHONY TAYLOR 6

DAVID RAYA 5.5

A few hairy moments, including one dropped cross, and may have started the Gunners’ build-up better.

WILLIAM SALIBA 7.5

Very smart covering play when City’s midfielders attempted to find space in the inside channels.

GABRIEL 7.5 Clearly enjoyed the physical battle with Haaland and constantly found himself in the thick of things.

JAKUB KIWIOR 6

Solid enough but noticeable that Arteta substituted the Pole as soon as Doku came on for the champions.

DECLAN RICE 7.5

Always available and manfully matched City’s tenacity. One big reason the hosts couldn’t steam through the centre.

JORGINHO 6

Tidy display, as you’d expect, without really standing out in midfield. Organised Arsenal in their low block.

BUKAYO SAKA 5.5

Left you wanting more. Put in one cross that Jesus might have latched on to but a quiet afternoon other than that.

MARTIN ODEGAARD 5.5

Appeared a little loose on the ball when it mattered for the Gunners. He was hardly the only one, though.

GABRIEL JESUS 6

Enjoyed a couple of sights of goal coming off the left but lacked conviction to finish the chances.

KAI HAVERTZ 6

Arsenal’s possession didn’t stick enough with their centre forward but not all his fault. SUBSTITUTES

Takehiro Tomiyasu 6 (for Kiwior,

66min); Thomas Partey 6 (Jorginho, 66); Leandro Trossard 6 (Jesus, 72); Gabriel Martinelli (Saka, 78).

MIKEL ARTETA 6

Set team up to sit in and try to nick something on the break. Almost worked perfectly.

ATTENDANCE: NOT PROVIDED