EPL 2016/17: Arsenal 2-2 Manchester City, 5 Talking Points

Coquelin lies in goal after Kun Aguero’s finish gave the visitors a lead for the second time in the game

As expected ahead of this fixture, Arsenal vs. City proved to be a thoroughly entertaining game of football as two teams coached by legendary managers but at different phases in their growth, faced off at the Emirates. 

Leroy Sane delivered a crushing blow to the hosts, giving the Citizens a lead just five minutes into the game but Theo Walcott’s strike six minutes before the end of the first half gave voice – and hope - to a lulled home crowd. But Kun Aguero did what he does best, restoring the visitors’ lead going into the break.

Arsenal fought back valiantly in the second half and ten minutes in, Shkodran Mustafi towered over everyone else to score a lovely header and level things for the Gunners.
In this piece, we take a look at the five talking points from the game.

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#5 Defence a worry for both teams

Lapses in the backline are a major reason why these two sides are in a top 4 and not title race

Both Arsenal and City were short on defensive solidity and their midfield play (or lack of it) only accentuated the trouble for the backline.

On this evidence, it is clearly not surprising the Gunners are struggling at sixth while the team representing the blue half of Manchester is nowhere close to the league leaders.
Arsenal were carved open too often. The double pivot of Granit Xhaka and Francis Coquelin left a lot to be desired in the centre of the park, losing balls for fun and often misplacing passes. 

Hector Bellerin – who seems to have lost a yard of pace – was slow to react and catch up with Sane for the opening goal. The hosts’ first strike was a fairly scrappy affair as Walcott was allowed to take a touch, turn and then nutmeg Gaël Clichy who was ball-watching.

Nicolás Otamendi jumped into thin air, clearly missing his man and the ball, while allowing Mustafi time and space to take a good shot for Arsenal’s second.