Since 2010, Arsenal had failed to beat an elite club on the road in the Premier League – stringing together 16 straight games without a win. With Santi Cazorla leading the charge, the Gunners would snap this horrid streak with a comfortable 2-0 win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
This emphatic win will boost the morale and confidence of the Gunners as they continue their campaign to qualify for Champions League. Arsenal has proven their ability to dig in and grind out three points at the Emirates, but on the road… the Gunners have struggled to take three points from any big-money club in England.
Nacho Monreal has proven his worth as he kept a speedy, and fellow Spanish international, Jesus Navas unable to create any chances down the right side of the pitch. Playing with confidence, Monreal started to test City’s defence, drawing a foul from Vincent Kompany, who had just returned after an injury. Cazorla stepped up to the spot and snuck a shot by ‘keeper Joe Hart to give us the lead in the 24th minute. The Citizens looked shaky in defence, mainly because Yaya Toure is off on international duty with the Ivory Coast national team in the African Cup of Nations – Manchester City have yet to take three points in four consecutive matches without Yaya Toure.
Olivier Giroud calmed all our nerves when he scored an unmarked header to give the Gunners a 2-0 lead in the 67th minute, showing his worth to be in Arsene Wenger’s starting XI. The Gunners defence consisted of a newly promoted Francis Coquelin, a speedy Hector Bellerin, the BFG, a confident Laurent Koscielny, and an in-form Monreal. City earned 16 corner kicks, all successfully cleared by the Gunners, who dug in for 90 minutes and earned the crucial three points.
This big win will propel the Gunners confidence and show the rest of the league that this wasn’t an upset, it was a clinical way to expose City’s weaknesses and take three points at the Etihad, only Manuel Pellegrini’s third home loss as skipper of the Citizens. Arsenal have 18 games left in their campaign for qualification, and this crucial win gave the Gunners a much need confidence boost on the road. With this morale boost, what kind of Arsenal will show up for the rest of the campaign?
This eleven were so balanced, where does Ozil, Walcott, Wilshere, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini, Debuchy, Chambers and lost cause Diaby fit in.
The only one I have left out of this list is Danny Welbeck who I think on occasions is a better choice than Giroud