City hung on herself a no mercy mode in their match against Arsenal that ended in a 3-1 win against the gunners.
Arsenal started strongly, despite the absence of Partey, replaced by full debutant Jorginho.
After surviving a nervy moment when Haaland elected to cross rather than shoot from a Riyad Mahrez cross, the hosts created the first clear chance of the game, Nketiah heading wastefully wide from Oleksandr Zinchenko’s diagonal cross.
It was a let-off for City and within two minutes they ruthlessly capitalised.
Tomiyasu, selected ahead of Ben White at right-back, left his back-pass short for Ramsdale and De Bruyne nipped in, lifting his finish over the stranded goalkeeper brilliantly.
Tomiyasu had a chance to make amends a few minutes later at the other end, when a deflected cross fell to him in space inside the City box, but his first-time shot flew over the bar.
City attempted to disrupt Arsenal’s rhythm by delaying over goal kicks and throw-ins but the hosts’ response to falling behind was excellent.
Saka spurning a good chance from Martin Odegaard’s slide-rule pass, delayed his shot, allowing Nathan Ake to block.
But Arsenal, and Saka, who was giving makeshift left-back Bernardo Silva a torrid time on the hosts’ right flank, would not have to wait long for their moment.
Another Arsenal Error
It seemed they had been denied when Ake hooked Nketiah’s diagonal effort off the line, but referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot, deeming Ederson to have fouled the Arsenal striker as he struck the ball.
After a long delay, Saka showed impressive composure to step up and beat Ederson, who, mercifully for City, avoided a second yellow card having been booked for timewasting earlier.
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An explosion of celebration followed the goal but the contest continued toing and froing at a frenetic pace with City inches away from scoring a second shortly before half-time.
Rodri’s header bounced off Ake and onto the top of the bar.
It was perhaps a sign of things to come as City began to dominate proceedings after the break. There was a let-off for Arsenal when a penalty, won by Haaland, as he tangled with Gabriel Magalhaes, was overturned for offside by VAR
But City continued to pin the hosts back and, after a couple of narrow escapes, including a fine save from Ramsdale after Haaland had got in behind, Guardiola’s team struck their second.
It came from another Arsenal error as Gabriel ceded possession in his own half, but what followed was brilliantly clinical from City. They rapidly worked the ball out to Grealish, whose low finish took a slight deflection off Tomiyasu on its way into the net.
The game was then sealed by Haaland, who was passed fit to start having suffered an injury scare in City’s 3-1 win over Villa.
The Norway striker controlled De Bruyne’s cut-back brilliantly before firing a low finish across Ramsdale and into the far corner for his 26th Premier League goal of the campaign.
