Manchester City ease past powder puff Arsenal
PREMIER LEAGUE champions Manchester City remained seven points adrift of leaders Manchester United after a 2-0 win away to Arsenal yesterday, with both teams finishing a man down in an eventful match.
First-half goals from James Milner and Edin Dzeko put City in a com- manding position against Arsenal, already down to 10 men after Laurent Koscielny was sent off in the 10th minute for hauling down Dzeko inside the box.
Dzeko’s penalty following Koscielny’s red card was turned onto the post by Wojciech Szczesny, with the Arsenal goalkeeper gathering the rebound.
Arsenal fans, held up coming into the ground because of a suspect package, could have been forgiven for thinking it might be their day after all but it soon turned into another painful game for a team who have not won a trophy since 2005.
And it was not long before Milner and Dzeko himself made the man advantage count.
City have usurped Arsenal as continual title challengers and their class against 10 men soon told when Milner rifled in a smart effort in the 21st minute after a good Carlos Tevez pass following a quick free kick.
Arsenal supporters, also outraged by the free kick award, sang “1-0 to the referee” but that was disingenuous given the foothold of Roberto Mancini’s side and it was soon 2-0.
England midfielder Milner whipped in a cross and though the keeper stopped Tevez’s close-range effort, Dzeko could not miss.
The visitors too were a man down at the Emirates Stadium when, 15 minutes from time, Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany was dismissed by referee Mike Dean for a challenge on Jack Wilshere despite appearing to win the ball first. – SapaAFP