Match From The Past – Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City

13^th January 2013

In January 2013, Premier League champions Manchester City visited Arsenal, a place where they hadn’t won at since 1975. The previous season, the Gunners had scored a late goal to condemn City to a 1-0 defeat which looked to have killed off the blues title hopes. This time it would be different, and there would be no repeat of that score line.

After ten minutes, Arsenal had Laurent Koscielny sent off after he brought down City striker Edin Dzeko in the box. The blues had a golden chance to take the lead from the penalty spot, but the Bosnian saw his spot-kick saved by the legs of the Arsenal keeper.

Not to be denied, the blues finally took the lead on 21 minutes. Gareth Barry’s quick free kick found Carlos Tevez, who slid the ball to James Milner to finish powerfully with an angled strike. City pored forward looking for a second, and it duly arrived eleven minutes later. This time it was Milner who supplied the cross, and when a Tevez shot was kept out by the keeper, Dzeko was on hand to make up for his earlier penalty miss to make it 2-0.

The blues were denied a third just before half time when Jack Wilshere blocked Javi Garcia’s headed effort as the blues looked to make up the goal difference on leaders United.

The second half didn’t see much action as the blues saw out the win, until Vincent Kompany saw red for a challenge on Wilshere. The City captain clearly took the ball, but the referee viewed it as a dangerous challenge and sent Kompany for an early bath. With both teams down to ten men, Arsenal tried to rally, but by this stage the match was already lost.

After 27 matches in 37 years, the blues finally came away with victory at Arsenal.