A point a-piece was probably a fair result at the Emirates this afternoon, as City came back from 2-1 down thanks to a late, and excellent, Martín Demichelis header. Sergio Agüero had put the Blues ahead in the first half, only for Arsenal to storm back in the second 45 with goals from Jack Wilshere and Alexis Sánchez, after some excellent City pressure. The spoils were shared in North London this afternoon, and this epic clash truly lived up to its billing. Here's what we learned.
1. Tight Margins
Today's Title Rival clash was obviously close and entertainingly end-to-end. Both City and Arsenal could have won the game, underlining the competitive nature of the Premier League. It will be exceptionally tough for City to retain their Title this season, as showcased by this hard-fought draw. Arsenal have properly strengthened this summer, and seem a hell of a lot more reslient and steadfast than they have in recent seasons. Wilshere had a decent game, and took his goal well, whilst fellow scorer Sánchez looked superb. Likewise, a whole host of players excelled for City, Fernandinho and Silva prominent amongst them. It's way too early, however, to start decrying either side, or start singing about one team or the other winning the Title. If Nasri had been onside, if Welbeck hadn't hit the post, if Džeko had been a touch quicker, the end result could have been very different. What matters in football sometimes is that little bit of luck, or chance - and today, both sides had their fair share. A workmanlike start to the season for City is not a cause for concern yet; similarly, Arsenal haven't truly hit the heights either. More is to come from both teams, but the at the moment, the Gunners and City are evenly poised with each other, and many others around them in the table.
2. The Second Goal Is Always Crucial
Forgive me if I'm straying into typical commentator territory here, but City had plenty of opportunity to take the game by the scruff of the neck, before half-time and straight after the break. In the early stages of the second half, after a few impressive Arsenal forays forward, City took their collective foot off the breaks and were superb once again. Nevertheless, chances for Agüero and Clichy went begging. If the Blues had got that second goal, they could have pressed on and won comfortably. As it was, profligacy in the final third, coupled with an infuriating casualness in possession, almost ended up costing City everything. The Blues will need to be disciplined for the full 90 minutes against Bayern in mid-week and when they face a rampant Chelsea at home in the League next Sunday. Arsenal must be credited for not giving up, however, and gave an encouraging account of their Title credentials, though they will have been disappointed that Demichelis equalised from a corner.
3. Pellegrini Feeling The Pressure
It's strange to hear the City boss moan at all, but something got Manuel Pellegrini's goat well and truly this afternoon; namely, a referee-shaped something. Always fiercely loyal to his players, Pellegrini was aggrieved that City didn't leave the Emirates with another win under their belts, especially given their performance for large stretches of the game. Agüero was sort-of fouled in the build-up to Wilshere's goal, but Welbeck's challenge on Kompany looked innocuous, and whilst Wilshere did handle in the box, meaning City should have had a pen, you win some you lose some where those sort of decisions are concerned. Referee Mark Clattenburg didn't have a classic game, and was indeed quick to book players wearing blue, but it seems churlish of Pellegrini to blame City's failure to capitalise on their periods of possession on the match officials. His side were the architects of their own downfall, with individual errors (i.e. Clichy not closing down Wilshere) and missed opportunities coming back to haunt them. It seems like a big week for City, with matches against Bayern Munich and Chelsea, is already taking its toll on their manager.
4. Yaya A Big Absence
Fernandinho might have had his best game since last season, but City lacked the physical, marauding presence of their talisman, Yaya Touré. The Ivorian could well have made the difference in such a tight game, but didn't make the match day squad after only arriving back in England on Friday following international duty. Hopefully, Touré will be well-rested and ready to face Bayern in the Champions League on Wednesday, not to mention Mourinho's Chelsea a week on Sunday. Starting Lampard instead of Touré was a gamble that paid off better than expected for City; the Blues didn't concede when he was on the pitch, after all, though the former Pensioner did look slow at times. The Blues also sorely missed the injured Fernando, and you couldn't help but think that with Touré's presence, the outcome of the game would have been very different. Touré isn't superman, and can definitely frustrate with his calmness-bordering-on-recklessness at times, but City missed his vision, composure and confidence today.
5. You Don't Notice What You Can't See
No, I'm not talking about Wenger, but rather, Stonewall and Paddy Power's #RainbowLaces campaign. The idea is completely worthwhile and brilliant, and the above Arsenal advert is fantastic (especially Giroud's wink). But as a friend and fellow writer pointed out to me, on the pitch, laces are invisible, and though Jake Humphrey showed us his and Ian Wright's laces on BT Sport, and although we were treated to Giroud's chest again after the game, if you just tuned in for the football, you would have noticed the players' rainbow laces as much as you would have noticed Brian Kidd's half-time meat pie order. If the FA and football clubs are serious about stamping out homophobia, why not ask/get/demand that players play a match wearing rainbow armbands, or rainbow socks? Is the Premier League worried, perhaps, about selling those precious TV rights to overseas states which aren't as enlightened liberal as the UK is about homosexuality? The #RainbowLaces campaign is a massive, welcome step forward in the fight against homophobia, prejudice and fear, but if football really wants to combat such nonsense, it should have the guts to stick its head above the parapet properly.