AsaphMic Live: Arsenal 2 - v - 2 Manchester City

Arsenal

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v

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Manchester City

Live Commentary

• Thanks for joining our commentary this afternoon. Until next time, goodbye.
• Matters could have been worse for Arsene Wenger had the referee spotted a late handball in the box from Nacho Monreal, but the Spaniard got away with the decision. The result leaves City all but out of the title race as they missed their opening to capitalise on Chelsea's defeat yesterday.
• Arsenal end a run of back-to-back defeats in the Premier League as a second-half equaliser from Shkodran Mustafi earned the Gunners a point, although it will probably not be enough in their bid to finish in fourth.
• FULL-TIME: ARSENAL 2-2 MANCHESTER CITY
• 90'+3'

  Arsenal make one late surge, but are prevented from threatening as the referee ends the contest.
• 90'+2'

  PENALTY SHOUT! Controversy as the ball looks to have struck the hand of Monreal in the box and as he attempts to clear Navas' cross, but the officials don't spot the incident.
• 90'+1'

  Arsenal waste an opening to threaten from a free-kick as the ball from Ozil was cleared with ease by the City defence.
• 90'

  There will be three minutes of added time.
• 90'

  WIDE! Navas collects the ball on the right and cuts inside to shoot on his left foot, but he puts his effort well wide of the target.
• 89'

  BLOCK! Aguero latches on to a cross from the right from the boot of Navas. He lets fly with a left-footed effort, only a block from Mustafi diverts the ball away from the net.

• 89'

  SubstitutionDavid Josué Jiménez SilvaPablo Javier Zabaleta Girod
  Substitution David Josué Jiménez Silva Pablo Javier Zabaleta Girod
• 88'

  OVER! The game is stretched now and Arsenal hit City down the right flank. Space opens up for Iwobi to shoot at goal from the edge of the box, but he blazes his effort over the bar.
• 87'

  Pressure from Giroud forces a mistake from Cabellero at the back. Arsenal commit men forward at the attacking throw-in on the right flank.
• 85'

  WIDE! City work their corner short and Silva collects to strike on the edge of box, only to pull his effort wide of the post.
• 85'

  Arsenal cope well at the back from a City break, handling the overload on the right flank. Gabriel makes another important clearance at the near post to stop De Bruyne's cross.
• 83'

  Clichy sticks out his foot to make an important interception at the near post to stab Iwobi's cross away from danger.
• 81'

  Coquelin makes a cynical challenge to bring down De Bruyne on the break, but escapes a second booking. That was a close one for the Arsenal midfielder, although the card brandishing from the Belgian on the deck was unsavoury.
• 80'

  CHANCE! Otamendi takes a horror touch and it allows Ozil a free shot at goal, but with Cabellero closing he doesn't make a huge effort to go for it. The keeper is able to play the ball off the German to win a goal-kick for City.
• 78'

  Silva almost bundles his way past Gabriel in the box, but the defender just nudges it behind for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, Silva wastes the opening as his low cross is intercepted.
• 77'

  SubstitutionDaniel Nii Tackie Mensah WelbeckAlex Iwobi
  Iwobi replaces Welbeck for the home side.
• 75'

  The tempo of the game has dropped slightly over the last few minutes. Both sides are in need of a spark heading into the final 15 minutes of the contest.
• 73'

  Toure makes an important challenge to dispossess Coquelin on the edge of the box and it allows City to come away down the left.
• 72'

  Guardiola is urging his side to remain disciplined at the back as he barks out instructions from the touchline. The game is very much in the balance.
• 70'

  Toure almost has a pass available to Sane on the edge of the box, with the winger in acres of space. However, a red shirt makes a vital interception to stop it reaching the German.
• 68'

  SubstitutionTheo WalcottOlivier Giroud
  Walcott begrudgingly makes way for Giroud for the final 22 minutes.
• 67'

  WIDE! Sane collects from Aguero on the flank and runs at Bellerin before opting for the strike. He loses his footing as he goes for goal and can only scuff his strike wide of the post.
• 66'

  CHANCE! Walciott gives the ball away in an extremely dangerous position. Navas lifts the ball into the box for Aguero to head at goal, but the Argentine cannot muster enough power on his header to beat Ospina.
• 65'

  Sane probes on the byline and he almost finds a way through the Arsenal defence, only to see his cross blocked by Bellerin.
• 64'

  Gabriel has to be alert at the near post to stop De Bruyne's low cross from threatening the near post. The defender guides the ball out for a City corner.
• 62'

  Mustafi sends a ball through the City lines and almost picks out Welbeck, but the ball just trickles beyond his reach.
• 61'

  Yellow Card Shkodran Mustafi
  Mustafi goes into the book for clattering into Sane on the left flank.
• 59'

  Both defences have been cut open with ease at times this afternoon. There are more goals to come in this match should both sides remain potent in the final third.
• 58'

  Ospina takes a whack in the back from Otamendi as the duo challenge for the ball in the air. The keeper requires treatment before we can continue.
• 57'

  SAVE! Navas wins a corner for his side as Gabriel is forced to clear his corner behind. The Gunners clear the initial cross, but Fernandino collects and rifles a strike towards the bottom corner. It looks destined for the net until Ospina sticks out a hand to make the stop.
• 55'

  City are all over the place at the back as they are struggling to cope with Arsenal's tenacity in the middle of the park. The momentum of the game may have swung to the Gunners now.
• 53'

  Assist Mesut Özil
  Ozil's deliveries had been mediocre, but this time his cross was right on the money to find Mustafi.
• 53'

  Goal Shkodran Mustafi
  GOALLLLLL!!!!! MUSTAFI EQUALISES! For the second time in the game Arsenal rally from a deficit. Ozil's corner is a good one and Mustafi rises highest in the area to power a header into the ground and it beats the outstretched hand of Caballero to find the net.
• 53'

  The Gunners respond with a surge down the left and Ozil whips in a cross to the near post, but Otamendi heads the ball behind with Welbeck lurking.
• 52'

  CHANCE! City work their way around the Arsenal backline before Navas drills a cross to the near post. Aguero escapes the attention of Gabriel, but he can only fire his header wide of the post.
• 49'

  De Bruyne surges down the right flank and has time to pick out Aguero. He finds his team-mate, but the Argentine gets crowded out before he can get an effort away.
• 48'

  Once again Arsenal fail to threaten from a set-piece as the City defence hold firm from Ozil's cross into the box.
• 47'

  Yellow Card Fernando Luiz Rosa
  Fernandinho commits a cynical challenge to bring down Sanchez and heads into the book.
• 46'

  A nervy moment for Gabriel almost immediately as he plays a short backpass to Ospina that Aguero almost capitalises on, but the keeper slides to clear his lines.
• 46'

  We're back underway at the Emirates Stadium.
• 46'

  SubstitutionRaheem Shaquille SterlingGnégnéri Yaya Touré
  Sterling is withdrawn for Toure.
• 46'

  SubstitutionLaurent KoscielnyGabriel Armando de Abreu
  Koscielny may have suffered an injury in the first half and has been replaced by Gabriel.
• STAT ATTACK! City have won their last 16 matches when holding a lead at half-time on the road. The last side that stopped them from claiming the three points were Arsenal in September 2014.
• Guardiola will want to see more from his team in the second half after they lost control of the match. It's a familiar story for Arsene Wenger at the moment as his side look so vulnerable at the back.
• The visitors slackened their grip on the contest and allowed Arsenal to respond through Theo Walcott, but within two minutes they were back ahead as they scythed through the Gunners' defences. Aguero applied the finishing touch with a fine finish from a tight angle.
• Manchester City lead at the break thanks to strikes from Leroy Sane and Sergio Aguero. Pep Guardiola's men started the game on top form and deservedly went ahead, while Kevin De Bruyne was denied a second by the post.
• HALF-TIME: ARSENAL 1-2 MANCHESTER CITY
• 45'+2'

  The referee ends the first half.
• 45'+2'

  CHANCE! Sanchez picks out Walcott with a fine pass on the edge of the box. The winger takes a quality first touch and with his second he goes for the lob over Caballero, only to see his effort bounce on the roof of the net.
• 45'

  There will be two minutes of added time.
• 45'

  Welbeck almost capitalises on a poor clearance from Otamendi, but he knocks the ball forward with his hand, which is spotted by ther referee.
• 42'

  Assist David Josué Jiménez Silva
  Silva tees up Aguero on the angle and from the right inside channel he finds the net.

• 42'

  Goal Sergio Leonel Agüero del Castillo
  Goal Sergio Leonel Agüero del Castillo
• 41'

  OFF THE POST! De Bruyne comes within inches of finding the net again as he collects Sane's pass and attempts to fire the ball across the face of goal. His effort takes a deflection off Koscielny and hammers off the near post. So close!
• 40'

  Assist Shkodran Mustafi
  Mustafi sends a ball forward back into the box and it finds Walcott, who finds the net.
• 40'

  Goal Theo Walcott
  GOALLLLLL!!! WALCOTT EQUALISES! Arsenal are level as they capitalise on poor defending from City as the fail to come out as a unit. As a result, Clichy plays the winger onside and he collects Mustafi's ball forward and pokes the ball into the bottom corner.
• 38'

  WIDE! Sterling wins a corner for the visitors and Silva sends in deep to the back post for Stones to attack. The defender wins his duel with Mustafi, but he cannot direct his effort on target.
• 37'

  The cross comes in from the right from Ozil, and although Mustafi gets a header on the delivery - it sails harmlessly wide of the target.
• 36'

  Sane handles the ball under little pressure and it hands Arsenal another oppportunity to send a cross into the box. Ozil stands over the ball.
• 35'

  The Chilean takes the set-piece himself, only to miss every red shirt in the box, allowing the ball to trickle out for a goal-kick.
• 34'

  Sanchez raids down the left and almost loses possession, but he gets a second chance to put City under pressure. He wins a free-kick 30 yards from goal as Sterling brings him down.
• 32'

  Yellow Card Granit Xhaka
  Xhaka catches Otamendi late on the ankle and goes into the book.
• 32'

  Arsenal are beginning to come to life, although they are allowing City a lot of room to break and it only takes one opening to double their advantage.

• 30'

  WIDE! Sanchez collects on the left flank and takes a touch to bring it on to his right. With space and time he attempts to curl his strike into the top corner, but it drifts just wide of the target.
• 29'

  TACKLE! Fernandinho makes a brilliant tackle at the back to stop Sanchez just when he was about to pull the trigger in the box, knocking the ball off his right foot.
• 28'

  Walcott dives into a challenge with Fernandinho and comes away with the ball - fairly or not is another matter. However, he tries to release Welbeck's run, but sends the ball trickling into the arms of Caballero.
• 26'

  De Bruyne sends Sterling down the right flank after Xhaka lost possession in the middle of the park, but his pass just sends the England man out too wide and the opening is quelled.
• 24'

  OVER! The Gunners keep the pressure on by winning a corner and the ball is cleared only as far as Monreal on the edge. He goes for the strike, but lifts his effort narrowly over the bar.
• 23'

  Walcott fires a dangerous low cross into the box looking for the run of Welbeck, but Stones clears well in the six-yard area.
• 21'

  CHANCE! Sanchez feeds the ball into Ozil's path in the box and the German turns, but he cannot generate enough power on his right-footed strike to beat Caballero.
• 19'

  Silva and Navas link up down the right for the latter to send a cross into the box, but Bellerin watches the ball carefully to steer it behind with Sane lurking.
• 18'

  Sanchez performs his defensive duties to help Monreal double up on Sterling. The Chilean is able to win possession and get his side moving forward.
• 16'

  City clear the danger with relative ease from the set-piece and are able to bring the ball away with Silva.
• 16'

  De Bruyne brings down Welbeck as he attempts to release Walcott down the right. The Gunners have the chance to lift a free-kick into the box.
• 15'

  Yellow Card Francis Coquelin
  Coquelin is booked for his loose challenge on Silva.
• 14'

  Coquelin flies into a challenge with Silva to stop a City break down the right flank. The Gunners are being out manoeuvred with ease in the middle of the park.
• 12'

  Neat play between Monreal and Sanchez almost sees the Spaniard break in behind the City defence, but at the last second the offside flag is raised. Navas is having a torrid time at full-back.
• 10'

  SAVE! Silva gathers the rebound from the strike and hammers a left-footed shot towards the near post, but Ospina makes a smart save. The Gunners are asleep at the back.
• 10'

  OFF THE POST! City probe the edge of the box and De Bruyne collects a low pass from Silva. The Belgian strikes his effort first time low towards the bottom corner, but his effort clatters off the woodwork and bounces away.
• 8'

  Yellow Card Jesús Navas González
  Navas goes in high on the leg of Monreal and goes into the book. 
• 7'

  Arsenal need a response to City's strong start otherwise the game could get away from them here.
• 5'

  Goal Leroy Sané
  GOALLL!!! SANE FIRES CITY AHEAD! A simple ball over the top from De Bruyne finds Sane in space. He fends off Bellerin and rounds Ospina to slot the ball into the net. Too easy for the visitors and the German winger.
• 5'

  Assist Kevin De Bruyne
  De Bruyne sends the ball over the top and it's perfectly weighted fo Sane to latch on to and score.
• 5'

  WIDE! Welbeck battles Otamendi on the edge of the box and turns to get into a position to strike. Clichy comes across to make the tackle, but his effort almost yields a goal for the home side as he rattles the support to the side of the net.
• 4'

  CHANCE! Fernandinho threads the ball through for Sterling's run. Ospina spots the danger and races off his line, but he hammers his clearance off the England man. Fortunately for him the ball bounces well away from the net.
• 2'

  The set-piece comes to nothing and City breakaway down the right through Navas, who raids into the Arsenal half with ease.
• 2'

  Fernandinho gives the ball away in the middle of the park and Welbeck makes a run before being brought down by Navas. An early chance for the Gunners to threaten from a free-kick.
• 1'

  We're underway at the Emirates Stadium.

• MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Caballero; Navas, Stones, Otamendi, Clichy; Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Silva; Sane, Sterling, Aguero.
• Arseanal subs: Martinez, Gibbs, Gabriel, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Iwobi, Giroud.
• ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal; Xhaka, Coquelin; Walcott, Ozil, Sanchez; Welbeck
• The team news has been announced and we'll start with the home side.
• Protests continue against Wenger's reign at the Gunners, with the Frenchman yet to confirm his future beyond the end of the campaign. Last time out Arsenal were embarrassed in a 3-1 defeat to West Brom and Wenger may need a response to spare a toxic atmosphere at the Emirates.
• Pep Guardiola's men will be determined to cement their place in the Champions League for next term. The Citizens are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League matches, but will be eyeing a return to winning ways after back-to-back draws.
• It's a huge afternoon for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal's hopes at securing a top-four place this season. The gap is currently seven points to City in the final Champions League place, but a victory would close the gap, with the Gunners boasting a game in hand over their rivals.
• Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.