Goals from Kevin de Bruyne, Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus proved too much for Arsene Wenger’s men, as Arsenal lose once again on the road.
Arsenal will once again, not be challenging for the Premier League title
Coming into the game level on points with both Chelsea and Liverpool, and only four points behind North London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal had a great chance to make positive movements up the table with a win over the league leaders.
Considering the Pep Guardiola’s side were unbeaten after their 10 opening games, the Gunner’s would need their performance of the season to overcome the blue side of Manchester.
However, the much-changed North London side, were second best for the majority of the 90 minutes, only showing glimpses of getting back into the game.
Arsenal now fall 12 points behind the league leaders, and are looking destined to be battling for a top four spot, once again.
Alexandre Lacazette needs to lead the line
A bewildering decision made by the Arsenal boss, did not pay off as he decided to leave his record signing on the bench, with Alexis Sanchez starting up front.
Finding themselves 2-0 down and needing a goal, Lacazette was brought on with a good half an hour to make a difference.
Just seven minutes after coming off the bench, the Frenchman scored Arsenal’s only goal of the game to get Arsenal back into the fixture.
Though his goal was deemed irrelevant after a mix of poor officiating and even poorer defending allowed City to kill the game off, Lacazette was the only Arsenal player to pose any sort of attacking threat.
Being Arsenal’s most expensive player as well as being their top goal-scorer this season, Lacazette’s name should be the first on the team-sheet, week in week out.
Arsenal are still yet to find their best team, 11 games into the season
With a variety of good and bad team performances, it is still unsure this far into the season, what Wenger’s best starting 11 is.
A much changed side came into the game, as it appeared Wenger had changed to a back four. Francis Coquelin was brought into the middle of the pitch alongside Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka, with Nacho Monreal and Laurent Koscielny both starting in the centre of a back four. Iwobi was brought in for Lacazette.
As the game began though, it became clear that Coquelin was essentially playing as a third centre back, in the same system Arsenal have been playing all season.
It took going down two goals, to change the system with Lacazette coming on, as well as Olivier Giroud and Jack Wilshere making late substitute appearances.
A consistent team selection may be needed for Arsenal to find their best form.
Sanchez and Ozil’s Arsenal futures still very much in doubt
With both players yet to put pen to paper, Arsenal fans once again have reason to question the two ‘star’ player’s commitment to the club.
An out of character Alexis Sanchez performance, saw the Chilean give the ball away more times than any other player in the first-half and didn’t show any signs of improvement in the second-half.
Sanchez didn’t prove a threat in front of goal and didn’t work half as hard as he usually does off the ball. With the 28-year-old being constantly linked with a move to today’s opponents, Sanchez didn’t put in the performance of a player looking to impress
Another big game saw Ozil go missing, offering little to no threat to trouble the Man City defence. A yellow card for kicking the ball away in frustration, capped a bad day at the office for the German international.
Gunners need to improve, and fast
The tough fixtures do not let up any time soon, as Arsenal welcome bitter rivals, Tottenham, to the Emirates in their next Premier league game.
Arsenal have struggled in recent times when facing their North London rivals, as their last Premier League win over Spurs came in 2014, thanks to a single Tomas Rosicky goal.
A trip to an in-form Burnley as well as facing Manchester United at home just two weeks later, could very well end Arsenal’s season, way before Christmas.