Manchester City vs Arsenal. Premier League.
Etihad StadiumAttendance53,422.
Report and free match highlights as Manchester City and Arsenal share the points; Nathan Ake had best chance of game but David Raya made close-range save; Liverpool hold two-point lead at top of Premier League over Arsenal with nine games to play, City a point and place behind the Gunners
Sunday 31 March 2024 19:33, UK
Title rivals Manchester City and Arsenal played out a 0-0 draw at the Etihad in a match high on tension but short of clear-cut chances which left Liverpool two points clear at the top of the Premier League.
With Jurgen Klopp's side coming from behind to beat Brighton earlier on Sunday, all eyes were on this mouth-watering match-up in Manchester - but the stars of City and Arsenal seemed inhibited by the enormity of the final head to head between any of the three championship chasers of this season.
The best chance of the game came in the first half, when Nathan Ake shouldered a corner at Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya from close range. The Dutchman would go off with a calf problem not long after but despite that further denting an injury-hit City backline, Arsenal failed to majorly trouble stand-in keeper Stefan Ortega.
He was eventually made to work by sub Leandro Trossard in the final minutes from an angle after City replacement Jeremy Doku had twice fired off target.
Erling Haaland barely had a kick and missed the ball completely when Josko Gvardiol's knockdown seemed to open it up for him with six minutes to play.
The result extends Man City's unbeaten home record to a remarkable 39 games, so Arsenal - who had lost their last eight here in all competitions - may see positives in taking a point away.
But after beating City in both the Community Shield and in the Premier League at the Emirates, their failure to do the treble over Pep Guardiola's men means they are now two points behind Liverpool. City are a place and a point further back.
Sky Sports' Roy Keane: "Everyone has a plan before the game but when you come to Man City, ultimately you know you are going to have to defend. The players said that they didn't plan to be that deep in the second half but Man City force you back.
"In possession I think Arsenal probably wanted to do a bit better but they were chasing the ball for long periods in the game. You are going to have heavy legs. They had some moments. They had two shots on target and City only had one, so Arsenal will be pleased.
"You have to look at City as the home team and their record, it's a more disappointing result for them. You have to give credit to Arsenal."
Like two well-matched heavyweights, it was a cagey start at the Etihad, with both sides wary of the strength of the others' attack. It was a pattern which would stretch right through the contest.
A Gabriel Jesus half-chance was volleyed just the wrong side of the near post, before Ake, unsighted until the last moment, missed the ball with his head but still managed to divert a Kevin De Bruyne corner straight at Raya from close range.
City took control of possession - they were up at 74 per cent midway through the half - but Ake's calf problem forced him off and encouraged Arsenal to get at a much-changed City defence, with Jesus swiping a left-foot shot off target from just inside the box.
Mateo Kovacic sparkled at the start of the second half, bending a shot just off target after a Rico Lewis roulette, but it was an even more tantalising nearly-moment at the other end when Jesus stretched to reach Bukayo Saka's cross through the six-yard box but was inches away from connecting.
It felt like the contest was finally moving through the gears but it soon slipped back into something of a stalemate. City's possession figures were even higher than in the first half, 75 per cent now, but touches in the Arsenal box were few and far between. Pep Guardiola turned to both Doku and Jack Grealish in search of a spark.
Doku shot over and then wide as City tried to ramp up in the final stages but Haaland's complete air-kick close to Arsenal's goal summed up their lack of sharpness. Trossard's stinger into Ortega's gloves a mere flash of what Arsenal can do on the front foot.
A precious point? The value of this result will only be known at the end of the season.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola to Sky Sports: "We take the point. We tried, we didn't create much, they didn't create much. The defence so compact and we cannot regain the balls high pressing because there's long balls, second balls and they're really good with Havertz and all the physicality they have.
"When Rico came in, they were in that side. They had one or two chances in transitions, especially when we lose one or two balls, but it was a tight game, we were who we are. Maybe we miss a little bit in the final third but it isn't easy.
"Liverpool are first. But there are still nine games and we will see what happens."
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to Sky Sports: "If you don't win, you're never happy happy. But I think we have made a big step. We have experienced what happened here last year and we have come across in a different way.
"We have played a lot of parts of the game in an exceptional way and other parts of the game where we have the feeling we can do much better, especially with the ball in the first phase of the build-up when we didn't have enough composure and patience to play more. Because after we committed some big, big, big situations to have the chance to win the game.
"To come to this big place, not a lot of teams have done what we've done today, and especially when there is a lot at stake, you have to respond and it's another step.
"Nothing changes. We wanted to win. Unfortunately we know the Liverpool result but we have to carry on. Still a lot to play for."
Manchester City are back in action at the Etihad Stadium when they host Aston Villa in the Premier League on Wednesday evening, kick-off at 8.15pm They then visit Crystal Palace for a 12.30pm kick-off on Saturday.
Arsenal, meanwhile, host Luton at the Emirates on Wednesday evening, kick-off 7.30pm. They then visit Brighton for a Saturday Night Football clash next weekend, live on Sky Sports with kick-off at 5.30pm.
