A first-half masterclass from Kevin De Bruyne inspired Manchester City to a comfortable victory over a hapless Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola's side moved to within four points of Leicester as the reigning Premier League champions bounced back from a derby day defeat to Manchester United last weekend to coast to a 3-0 win at the Emirates Stadium.
De Bruyne struck after just 89 seconds before teeing up Raheem Sterling and adding the third himself as he moves on to four goals across his last five City appearances.
Arsenal, whose best chance came before De Bruyne's first effort, were second best for the majority of the contest and have now won just one of their last 12 matches in all competitions.
Interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg has taken four points from his first four league games at the helm and the Gunners, who have not won at home since October 24, now sit seven points off the top four and are the same distance clear of the relegation zone.
Arsenal almost took the lead inside the opening minute, Gabriel Martinelli breaking in behind and wriggling free before testing Ederson in the City goal.
👏 Manchester City take a very early lead at the Emirates!
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) December 15, 2019
⚽️ Kevin De Bruyne with a great finish after Gabriel Martinelli had come close to opening the scoring at the other end moments before#ARSMCI | #MCFC pic.twitter.com/lf9OT3hE8B
While City were tested at the back early on, they once again showed their clinical nature at the other end of the pitch as they went ahead just moments later.
Kyle Walker was allowed to bound forward before playing in Gabriel Jesus, who squared for De Bruyne to finish exquisitely from just inside the penalty area.
✌️ Raheem Sterling makes it two for Manchester City!#ARSMCI | #MCFC pic.twitter.com/HakQpKraP5
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) December 15, 2019
The lead was doubled with just a quarter of an hour on the clock, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang robbed of possession and City again breaking with ease as De Bruyne this time crossed for the unmarked Sterling to tap in at the back post.
Things went from bad to worse for Ljungberg and his players as De Bruyne struck again before half-time and while Arsenal were a man light.
2️⃣ Two goals
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) December 15, 2019
1️⃣ One assist
😩 Inches away from a hat-trick
👏 What an afternoon this has been so far for Kevin De Bruyne! #ARSMCI | #MCFC pic.twitter.com/dPDpNtHHMl
Sead Kolasinac had hobbled off after being unable to recover from an ankle knock but, with substitute Bukayo Saka not ready to make an entrance, City capitalised on the advantage and the Belgian turned home from the edge of the box.
De Bruyne was almost celebrating a first-half hat-trick of tremendous goals only for Bernd Leno to make a stunning save as he turned the latest shot onto the post.
Arsenal would again have the first chance of the half as they looked to reduce the arrears soon after the interval, only for Aubameyang to head off-target.
Jesus should have made it four as he was slipped in by Sterling but he hit his shot wildly over Leno's crossbar before Guardiola opted to replace Phil Foden, fairly ineffective on his first league start of the season, with Bernardo Silva.
Leno again proved the last line of defence after Calum Chambers had lost the ball to Jesus, who failed to turn his chance past the onrushing Germany international.
In truth, City had dropped down a couple of gears from some of the scintillating football of the first 45 minutes but always had their hosts at arm's length.
Substitute Riyad Mahrez and Sterling both came close late on as City played out the closing stages with little threat to their goal and with the swagger of a side who should be closer than the 14-point chasm they have to leaders Liverpool.
Match highlights
Opta facts
- Arsenal have lost their last five Premier League meetings with Manchester City – their longest losing streak against an opponent in the top-flight since losing five against Manchester United between September 1983 and August 1985.
- This was the sixth time Manchester City have beaten Arsenal in the Premier League under Pep Guardiola (P7 W6 D1 L0), as many wins as the Citizens managed against them in the competition before Guardiola’s arrival (P38 W6 D9 L23).
- Arsenal have gone six games without a win at the Emirates across all competitions (D3 L3); their longest run without a home win since between December 1994 and February 1995 under George Graham (eight games).
- Manchester City have scored 25 goals away from home in the Premier League this season; the joint-most by a team in their first nine away games of a single campaign, which was also set by Manchester City (25 goals in 2011-12).
- Arsenal conceded three first half goals in a Premier League home game for only the second time, with the other also coming against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side in March 2018.
- Arsenal managed just one shot on target against Manchester City – their joint-fewest in a Premier League game at the Emirates Stadium (also one v Everton in 2010, Chelsea in 2015 and 2016).
- Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne has been directly involved in 19 goals in the Premier League in 2019 (seven goals and 12 assists); the most of any midfielder in this period.
- Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling netted his seventh away goal of the Premier League season; already his joint-highest return away from home in a single campaign (also seven in 2017-18).
- Kevin De Bruyne’s opener for Manchester City (1:29) was the second-quickest goal that Arsenal have conceded at the Emirates in the Premier League, after David Healy for Fulham in August 2007 (51 seconds).
