Manchester City – Arsenal

1. Here's the teams: Man City: Seaman, Jihai, Sommeil, Distin, Tarnat, Wright-Phillips, Bosvelt, Barton, Sinclair, Sibierski, Anelka. Subs: Weaver, Berkovic, Fowler, Dunne, Tiatto. Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Keown, Toure, Cole, Ljungberg, Vieira, Silva, Pires, Henry, Wiltord. Subs: Bergkamp, Taylor, Parlour, Edu, Cygan. Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire)

2. With Manchester United crashing at Southampton, both teams have a chance to go top. Arsenal, four up in half an hour on both of their last visits to City must be favourites. But here's a new venue the City of Manchester Stadium. The Blue Camp or the Council House, depending on your Mancunian allegiances.

3. David Seaman faces his old team but declined the captaincy against them. Distin leads out the Laser Blues.

4. A retaken kick-off. And off go Arsenal.

5. A bad pass from Henry - but he wins a corner. City scramble away Pires' kick.

6. 1'

   Wright-Phillips pings away but Cole comes across to tackle him.

7. 2'

   Foul on Wiltord. But free-kick intercepted by Sun Jihai. Sibierski fouled.

8. 3'

   Tarnat's deep cross claimed by Lehmann. Long kick goes all the way back to his predecessor.

9. 4'

   Foul on Sibierski again? No, says the ref. Then Wiltord is found offside.

10. 5'

    Anelka charges on goal.....but the offside flag stops him in his tracks.

11. 6'

    City press the Arsenal backline, who pass the ball around the back.

12. 6'

    Henry penalised for a push on Distin.

13. 8'

    Long ball from the back is hoofed clear. Neither side in their stride yet. But a good ball from Wright-Phillips finds a swinging Bosvelt. He misses the target. And the ball.

14. 10'

    An unbelievable incident. Long kick from Distin....Lauren chases back under pressure from Sinclair....and slots it past Lehmann. Own-goal of the year? 1-0 to City anyway.

15. 10'

    The Theatre of base comedy has another act - step forward Lauren!

16. 12'

    Blue moon rings out. Wright-Phillips on the charge. Keown clears. Henry breaks. But Distin gets it away, possibly with the use of a hand.

17. 14'

    Arsenal need to get back in their stride. They have the capability.

18. 15'

    Pires' ball narrowly misses Henry. It squirts away from him and City breathe easy.

19. 16'

    Wright-Phillips chases down Cole again. He's set to give him a real chasing the City man. Anelka offside from a crossfield ball.

20. 16'

    Gilberto forces a corner. Pires will take. Back to the edge of the area. Henry swings at it. It dribbles off the edge of the pitch. Terrible set piece.

21. 18'

    Followed by an immediate doppelganger. Headed away. Arsenal yet to test their rejected keeper in Seaman.

22. 20'

    Pires shoots. But fires miles wide.

23. 20'

    Bosvelt in space. Angled ball for Sibierski. He can't get full contact on it.

24. 22'

    Pires dinks a ball through...Wiltord in space...but the offside flag is waving.

25. 24'

    Anelka forces a corner. Tarnat takes. Headed back in after being half-cleared. But hacked out for a throw.

26. 25'

    Good pressure from City as Joey Barton tackles hard in midfield.

27. 25'

    Sinclair attempts a long ball. But his radar is well out.

28. 26'

    A speculative effort from Wright-Phillips. Lehmann untested. But then Toure and Keown have to combine to keep Anelka at bay.

29. 27'

    Sun Jihai gets in a cross...but Sinclair fails to get his head to the ball.

30. 28'

    Anelka down the flank and Arsenal narrowly clear. City get it back though. They're fighting for everything.

31. 30'

    Distin does well under pressure to clear. Anelka really up for this one gets a chance to shoot. A poor chip from a Tarnat slid ball.

32. 31'

    Bosvlet fouls Vieira. Both angry at that decision. Keegan angry too.

33. 31'

    Headed away by Toure. But then Wright-Phillips is fouled. Cole kicks the ball away and is booked for his trouble. More silliness from him. Victimised? No, plain petulant.

34. 34'

    Tarnat's kick rattles off the wall. Arsenal can't get away and Sibierski cuts across to force a shot on goal. Lehmann claims.

35. 34'

    Cole offside as Arsenal at last build an attack.

36. 36'

    City press Arsenal who continue to struggle to build anything. Bosvelt intercepts and wins a throw.

37. 37'

    Anelka runs on to a Sibierski flick-on. He runs on to it. Snap shot is palmed away by Lehmann. Good football all round.

38. 37'

    Tarnat's cross causes panic. But it rebounds to safety.

39. 38'

    Henry outnumbered. Sun Jihai hacks away. Then Distin stops a Vieira lob on.

40. 40'

    Henry threatens but Sun Jihai again clears. Ljungberg gets a chances but blazes over, with a touch from Seaman.

41. 41'

    From the corner Wiltord finds Pires. Seaman punches away and then claims a Pires cross. Safe hands indeed.

42. 41'

    Wright-Phillips shows amazing pace to trouble Cole. Toure narrowly heads the ball clear.

43. 42'

    Anelka tries a run but only finds the touchline. He's been up for it against his old team .

44. 43'

    Pires misses his intended target when Ljungberg wanted a through ball.

45. 44'

    Barton wins a throw. Anelka forces the issue. Wright-Phillips' snap cross misses the target. But he hounds Ashley Cole - he'll be looking forward to those half-time oranges.

46. 45'

    Into added time...City need to hold this lead until the break.

47. 45'

    Wiltord gets in a snap effort. He spins but Seaman gets it in his hands.

48. 45'

    Last action of the half....and City deserve their lead though Arsenal scored it for them. Lauren's OG coming to a bloopers video near you.

49. 45'

    Seaman runs in front of the Arsenal fans. A hero to them once. Now he's their enemy.

50. 46'

    City instantly into their stride. Sibierski through but he didn't seem to fancy it. Anelka can't get near his pass.

51. 47'

    Distin on the overlap....and Arsenal have to clear. Henry limping...worry for Arsenal.

52. 47'

    Wright-Phillips gets overlapped by Cole, who threads it to Wiltord, who slips it into the back of the net. 1-1.

53. 48'

    Arsenal back into it. And their confidence must be brimming now.

54. 49'

    Barton fouls Vieira. Impetuous. And he wins a yellow card for his troubles.

55. 49'

    Sibierski can't get on the end of a flick. Arsenal play possession football before Barton stops Vieira.

56. 52'

    Anelka, not for the first or last time, is offside.

57. 52'

    Wiltord gets around the back. Pires shanks it before Ljungberg is smothered in Seaman.

58. 53'

    Sinclair nearly in the clear but narrowly fails to control the ball.

59. 53'

    Sibierski fouled. He's taken a knock to his shoulder.

60. 55'

    Henry rages after being impeded by Sommeil. The City man is booked.

61. 56'

    Barton is fearsome in the tackle as he hounds Ljungberg.

62. 57'

    Wright-Phillips gets it clear. He's had to do much more defending this half.

63. 58'

    Lauren lunges on Sinclair. The Arsenal defender has been quiet since that ricket.

64. 59'

    Vieira fouls Sibierski. Who soon wins a City corner.

65. 61'

    Long hoof from Lehmann. Pires tries to create. Distin comes across to stop an Henry ball.

66. 63'

    Toure shows outstanding pace in crowding out Anelka. Arsenal can mount another attack.

67. 64'

    Anelka caught in possession. But City stop Arsenal benefitting. Sun Jihai's ball for Sibierski, who swings at fresh air. And misses the ball completely.

68. 66'

    A ball from Anelka squirms to Sibierski. He shoots straight at Lehmann. Instantly Anelka in space. He blasts it with real venom but a good save from the German.

69. 67'

    Two good chances for City. They needed to convert them really.

70. 68'

    Cole gets round the back and Pires does a Karate Kid kick on the ball. Needless to say it rattles the back of the Council House stand.

71. 68'

    Tiatto comes on for Sibierski. Sinclair will support Anelka.

72. 69'

    Tarnat on the break but his pass is very wayward. Tiredness creeping in for City maybe. That's a worry for Kev.

73. 70'

    Sinclair finds space but not numbers in support and his cross is smashed away by Lauren.

74. 72'

    David Seaman does exactly what he didn't want to do and makes a grave error against Arsenal. He comes out to claim, misses it....and Ljungberg smashes home. 2-1 to Arsenal.

75. 72'

    You have to say that Arsenal's pressure has deservedly paid off. David Seaman perhaps showing why the Gunners let him go.

76. 74'

    Ljungberg booked for his goal celeb - a little over zealous.

77. 75'

    Tiatto in trouble. Went over the ball on Gilberto. The Australian complains but he deserved his yellow card.

78. 76'

    Double sub for the Gunners. Off go Wiltord and Ljungberg. On come Bergkamp and Parlour.

79. 77'

    Gilberto fouls Barton. City attempt to launch an attack. But that's a poor free-kick. And Lehmann claims.

80. 79'

    On comes a double sub for city. Berkovic and Fowler on for Wright-Phillips and Bosvelt.

81. 80'

    City with plenty of the ball. And Sinclair charges in on goal - offside again as Lehmann is out quickly to claim.

82. 81'

    City force a corner. Lauren hoof behind. But Berkovic is wasteful with possession.

83. 82'

    Vieira comes across to stop Sun Jihai. Fowler in the clear? No offside again from a through ball from Tiatto.

84. 83'

    On comes Edu for Pires to add some steel to the Arsenal midfield.

85. 84'

    Barton's backpass is poor...Henry on the prowl, takes it around Seaman but Sun Jihai comes across to clear.

86. 85'

    Berkovic again poor in possession as he passes it straight off the pitch. Not Kev's favourite person already, perhaps less now.

87. 86'

    Barton hits a free-kick but the angle is too deep. Lehmann is safe with his hands.

88. 88'

    Nice move from City but Toure nods away. Then Keown and Toure get involved in an amazing rebound off the bar. Offside again though.

89. 89'

    A through ball to Anelka....and again, he's offside.

90. 90'

    Ball launched forward and Lauren does well to win a goal-kick. City resort to long-ball tactics.

91. 90'

    Henry through on goal but the theme of the afternoon is offside.

92. 90'

    Arsenal hack clear. Not long now...

93. 90'

    Henry finds space to shoot but rattles it wide.

94. 90'

    Berkovic again is wasteful. Arsenal have this won now. They'll play out time.

95. 90'

    But a corner for City....

96. 90'

    And Fowler gets to it....but the looped header goes over the bar. C'est finis!

97. 90'

    Two goals from mistakes, some real effort and brio from both teams and a quality game. The real story of the day - Arsenal already three points clear at the top.

98. 90'

    Goodbye - until next time.

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