Match from the Past – When Manchester City Finally Won A League Match At Arsenal

With very little action in the transfer market and barely anything to discuss, we are going to spend some time looking at classic matches between City and this season’s Premier League opposition, starting with a team that City had struggled against for over a third of a century.

Arsenal v Manchester City was a match that would strike fear into the hearts of City fans. Despite following their team up and down, the faithful would loyally converge on the home of the Gunners, whether that be Highbury or The Emirates, only to see their team come away with nothing, or on occasion, a hard-earned point.

When City won 3-2 at Highbury in October 1975, no one could have predicted that the blues would have to wait almost 40 years before the blues claimed three points on Arsenal soil. From the 81 points available out of 27 league matches, City claimed just 8 as the blues struggled to make an impact at any grounds of the league’s top teams.

But the blues began to change that in 2013. The season previous, Arsenal had looked to have ended City’s Premier League title charged with a 1-0 victory that left the blues 8 points behind United, but as would turn out, it would be the penultimate defeat in north London.

On 13^th January 2013, City fans finally came away from London with three points after an eventful game that saw both sides reduced to 10 men and City, it won’t surprise you to hear, missed a penalty.

City went into the match ten points behind United at the start of the match and needed the three points to at least keep the pace with the reds, who were looking to wrest the title away from the blues. And City almost got off to the perfect start when Laurent Koscielny pulled Edin Dzeko down in the box after 10 minutes and received his marching orders. But typically, the blues squandered the chance as the big Bosnian saw his penalty saved.

It was only a temporary reprieve though as City took the lead with a well worked goal. Taking a free kick early, Carols Tevez played in James Milner, and with the Gunners defence half asleep, the former Villa man rifled his shot across goal and into the back of the net.

And City continued to dominate the game, restricting Arsenal while looking dangerous on the counter and ten minutes later, they cot their reward. Pablo Zabaleta was allowed the freedom of the right wing, and his cross was met by Tevez, who saw his shot saved by the home keeper, only for Dzeko to make up for his earlier penalty miss with a tap-in.

The second half yielded no further goals, however the referee decided to level up the game when he sent Vincent Kompany off with 15 minutes remaining. The City captain won the ball from Jack Wilshere, however the referee felt like he had fouled the Arsenal man and produced a red card, which would later be rescinded.

Such was City’s dominance that Arsenal didn’t have a shot on target until the 90^th minute as the blues closed the gap at the top to seven points.

Final score: Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City