Arsenal 0-3 Man City: De Bruyne-inspired City close gap on 2nd Leicester to 4pts

De Bruyne puts on a masterclass with brace in rout while Raheem Sterling adds goal of his own as hosts stay ninth.

Match Report

Kevin De Bruyne produced a masterclass as Manchester City breezed to a 3-0 win over a listless Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Sunday 

The Belgium midfielder scored two high-quality goals and provided an assist for Raheem Sterling in a one-sided victory for City.

Defending champions City are 14 points behind leaders Liverpool and four behind second-place Leicester City.

Arsenal remain in ninth – seven points off Chelsea in fourth spot – in a defeat that will have done little to enhance interim boss Freddie Ljungberg's prospects of landing the job on a permanent basis.

EPL Standings

Match Events

2' GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Man City (De Bruyne)

CITY STRIKE EARLY! 1-0! The away side spring forward quickly after an Arsenal corner and conduct a fluent, sweeping move that culminates with Jesus drilling a low cross towards the back post, where De Bruyne is on hand to lash a powerful effort into the roof of the net! 

15' GOAL! Arsenal 0-2 Man City (Sterling)

CITY GET A SECOND! 2-0! Manchester City initiate another quick counter-attack as Foden threads a pass through to De Bruyne. The Belgian proceeds to drive at the Arsenal backline, drawing in a couple of defenders, before cleverly sliding a pass from the left across goal towards Sterling, who nips past his marker to tap into an empty net!

40' GOAL! Arsenal 0-3 Man City (De Bruyne)

WHAT A STRIKE FROM DE BRUYNE! 3-0 CITY! Arsenal are temporarily reduced to ten men while they prepare to substitute Kolasinac and City take full advantage! Foden gracefully drove through the heart of the Arsenal midfield, before slipping a pass through to De Bruyne, who elected to shoot against a backtracking Arsenal defence and his low effort from 25 yards swerves viciously into the bottom corner beyond Leno!

42' OFF THE POST! De Bruyne nearly scores again

Brilliant save from Leno! City almost get a fourth as De Bruyne hammers another wicked effort from distance that looks as though it's arrowing towards the top right corner, before Leno acrobatically leaps to tip it onto the post! 

48' CHANCE! Aubameyang's header wide out

Arsenal almost get one back! Maitland-Niles charges forward and swings in a dangerous cross that Aubameyang gets to first, but his glanced header drifts narrowly wide of the far post!

59' Ozil replaced by Smith Rowe

Ozil was not happy after being taken off.

74' CLOSE! Aubameyang's shot inches wide

Aubameyang races onto a deft throughball from Guendouzi and takes an early shot from the edge of the area that drifts a couple of yards wide of the far post.   

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