Arsenal 0 Manchester City 2: Toure and Zabaleta strike in the Bird's Nest
By Matt Barlow
They may have played on a different continent, in the midst of a Chinese storm, but a familiar script unfolded as Manchester City’s muscle and lethal edge crushed Arsenal’s fluent passing style.
Both teams are in Asia with depleted teams but, encouragingly for Roberto Mancini and frustratingly for Arsene Wenger, the usual pattern was in evidence.
Wenger saw his side move the ball nicely, even when the pitch was drenched, but fail to find the net, a concern with Robin van Persie seemingly set to leave.
Winning in the rain: Manchester City's Yaya Toure celebrates with teammates after scoring against Arsenal
Arsenal: Fabianski; Jenkinson (Eastmond 65 min), Bartley (Miquel HT), Vermaelen, Gibbs; Diaby (Coquelin HT), Song (Eisfeld 77), Arteta (Oxlade-Chamberlain HT); Walcott (Chamakh HT), Gervinho (Aneke 65), Santos (Afobe 58).
Manchester City: Pantilimon; K.Toure, Kompany (Boyata 57), Savic; Zabaleta, Razak (Suarez 87), Y.Toure (A.Johnson 77), Biton, Kolarov; Tevez (Evans 83), Aguero (Lopes 90).
Goals: Zabaleta (41) Toure (44)
And they were opened-up too easily and too frequently at the back, but this is not a new problem for the Arsenal manager.
Mancini, meanwhile, watched as his expensive firepower clinched a game his team were unable to dominate.
Pablo Zabaleta struck first, in the 41st minute, and Yaya Toure added the second before the break.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain went closest for Arsenal, rattling the woodwork in the second-half.
Wenger selected a strong midfield of Abou Diaby, Alex Song and Mikel Arteta in a team with three English starters, compared to City’s none.
They dominated in terms of possession and controlled long periods of the first half, but failed to stop City galloping into a two-goal lead at the interval.
Gervinho was given a rare opportunity to play at centre-forward, where he flickered but rarely threatened, much as he has done when playing wide since his arrival from Lille, last year.
Going close: Carlos Tevez gets his shot away as he is challenged by Arsenal's Alex Song
Mancini tweaked his usual formation, playing with a three-man back-line flanked by Zabaleta and Alexander Kolarov.
His midfield trio featured two rookies, teenage Ivorian Abdul Razak and Nir Biton, a tall and slender 20-year-old Israeli midfielder from FC Ashdod who is on his second trial at the club.
City’s wing-backs proved influential. Zabaleta, having struck in the thriller against QPR on the final day of last season, swept in the opener in the 41st minute, arriving at the far-post to apply a confident finish to a pass from Yaya Toure.
Three minutes later and Kolarov stormed down the left, found Sergio Aguero at the back-post and he slid the ball towards Yaya, who poked it into the net from close range.
Arsenal may contest the half-time score was not a true reflection but that’s how it is these days. City have found a way to win.
Fight for the ball: Abou Diaby battles for the ball with Tevez and loses out to Toure
Theo Walcott was the first to catch the eye in the Bird’s Nest, accelerating down the flank, yards from Usain Bolt’s sprint to gold, four years ago.
Walcott tore clear and squared to Andre Santos, who dithered and failed to produce an effort worthy of the name.
Santos was wasteful as the Gunners won 2-1 against a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur, on Tuesday, but Wenger appears to have decided he is best deployed as a wide attacker these days.
The Brazilian was bought as a left-back during the panicky last few days at the Emirates before the transfer market closed.
Sliding in: Toure scores against Arsenal's goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski
Wenger had all summer to find a replacement for Gael Clichy, who moved to City, but didn’t and the window was closing when Santos was parachuted in from Turkey.
As in Malaysia, Santos worked himself into several goal-scoring situations, often proving more effective on the right, cutting inside onto his left foot.
Carl Jenkinson forced the first save of the game from Costel Pantilimon in the 34th minute and Santos tested the Romanian ‘keeper again before half-time.
Arsenal made four of their eight changes as the second-half started in a torrential downpour and, as in Kuala Lumpur, Wenger tried Oxlade-Chamberlain in a central midfield role for a short spell before moving him to his more usual wide position.
Falling behind: The Arsenal players look dejected after Toure got his goal
Again, the Gunners were slick on the ball and the England teenager was instantly involved, sliding a pass to Kieran Gibbs which led to a chance for Gervinho, saved by Pantilimon.
Oxlade-Chamberlain unleashed a right-foot shot from 25 yards which flashed past City’s ‘keeper on his left, hit the inside of a post, flew across the line, hit the other post and bounced back into play.
Marouane Chamakh had replaced Walcott at half-time and played through the centre with Gervinho moving out to the right.
The rain fell relentlessly, lightning flashed overheard and City lost Vincent Kompany, who walked off rather gingerly and was replaced by Dedryck Boyata.
Aguero really ought to have extended the lead in the 70th minute as Mancini’s team exposed Arsenal on the break, yet again. This time is was Tevez on the right who found his fellow countryman but Aguero’s neat clip over Lukasz Fabianski drifted wide.
By the final whistle, the players were splashing around in puddles as they ran. Craig Eastmond, Thomas Vermaelen and Gibbs went close from distance but City took the win.
The champions move on to Malaysia next and Arsenal head for Hong Kong.