Arsenal keep City in check

Manchester City squandered an
opportunity to replace Chelsea at the
Premier League summit after being held
to a 1-1 draw by an improved Arsenal
side on Saturday.
Chelsea’s 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace meant
that victory at the Emirates Stadium
would have sent City top on goal
difference, but they remain third after
David Silva’s opener was cancelled out by
Mathieu Flamini.
The day’s events mean that only five
points now separate leaders Chelsea and
fourth-place Arsenal, who produced a
much more determined display after last
weekend’s 6-0 demolition by Jose
Mourinho’s side.
Chelsea’s advantage is paper-thin,
however, as City, who trail them by two
points, have two games in hand, while
second-place Liverpool will go top if they
win at home to Tottenham Hotspur on
Sunday.
After Tomas Rosicky had seen an early
penalty appeal turned down for Arsenal,
City went ahead in the 18th minute when
Silva prodded in after a shot from Edin
Dzeko came back off the post.
Arsenal centre-back Per Mertesacker
inadvertently almost doubled City’s lead
early in the second half, the ball trickling
inches wide of goal after goalkeeper
Wojciech Szczesny had pushed a Samir
Nasri cross against him.
Within moments Arsenal were level, as
Lukas Podolski was granted space to cross
from the left and Flamini flew in to steer
a half-volley into the bottom-right corner
in the 53rd minute.
City goalkeeper Joe Hart then saved from
Podolski, while City’s best chance of a
winner saw Yaya Toure, Nasri and Dzeko
denied by a series of desperate blocks by
Arsenal defenders.