Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for this Premier League showdown between
Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium!
The champions suffered one of their most surprising defeats of the Pep Guardiola era last time out and know that another slip-up today could prove even more costly, while Arsenal have dropped two places in the league before they even have a chance to play today.
These games are always action-packed and full of intrigue, so let's waste no time in bringing you the team news before kickoff...
MAN CITY STARTING XI: Ederson; Walker, Laporte, Otamendi; Fernandinho, Gundogan, Silva, De Bruyne, Bernardo; Sterling, Aguero
SUBS: Muric, Danilo, Stones, Delph, Sane, Mahrez, Jesus
ARSENAL STARTING XI: Leno; Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal; Lichtsteiner, Torreira, Guendouzi, Kolasinac; Iwobi, Lacazette, Aubameyang
SUBS: Cech, Mavropanos, Elneny, Ramsey, Ozil, D Suarez, Nketiah
KICKOFF: Here we go, then! Arsenal get us underway at the Etihad!
GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1-0 ARSENAL (SERGIO AGUERO)
GOAL! Incredible! He scored after 24 seconds on Tuesday, so he's been a bit tardy today but Aguero opens the scoring after just 48 seconds this time around!
Arsenal cannot clear their lines and Laporte - playing at left-back with Fernandinho in the middle - swings a cross into the middle. Aguero is there to meet it with a diving header, and Leno cannot keep it out! What a start for City!
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City, of course, did not get anything out of that game against Newcastle after opening the scoring so early, so they may still be wary. It is another dream start for the champions, though.
I eluded to it after the goal, but it is a strange decision for Guardiola to play Fernandinho at centre-back today with Stones on the bench. Far be it from me to question the tactical genius of Guardiola, though.
SAVE! A Man City corner is only cleared as far as Sterling, who fires it towards goal from range. There is plenty of power behind it, but Leno produces a save for the cameras to parry it away.
Here is that opening goal, just 48 seconds after kickoff. Incredible start again from City...
It is a fascinating system being played by City here, and Fernandinho may find himself with a lot of work to do. He is playing in midfield when City have the ball, but defence when Arsenal have it. He's playing two positions at the same time!
DISALLOWED GOAL! City have the ball in the back of the net once again as Laporte plants his header past Leno from De Bruyne's free kick. The defender had just strayed too early, though, and the offside flag is up.
GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1-1 ARSENAL (LAURENT KOSCIELNY)
GOAL! Out of nothing, Arsenal have the equaliser! The Gunners win a corner which Monreal glances on at the front post, and Koscielny is there to send home a stooping header from close range! That is completely against the run of play!
© Reuters
Arsenal will be hoping that that goal settles things down a bit as they were completely on the back foot in that opening 10 minutes. We're all set for a cracking contest here!
There are still issues for Arsenal despite that opening goal as Man City continue to look dangerous every time they come forward. De Bruyne has just darted down the right flank before standing the ball up to the far post, but it is too long for Sterling.
Arsenal are already so deep, and if the game were to stop now it would best be described as a smash-and-grab. Defending very much the order of the day for the visitors.
SAVE! A couple of sights of goal in quick succession for Man City as first Sterling sees his volley blocked before Silva pulls the ball back for Otamendi, whose deflected striker ends up in the arms of the keeper.
Arsenal need to keep hold of the ball better here. Their equaliser is virtually the only time they have ventured into the opposition half so far, and they will not be able to hold out for another 70 minutes if this one carries on like this.
The opening quarter of this game has flown by, mostly in the direction of the Arsenal goal. The Gunners, incidentally, are playing a 4-4-2 formation with Kolasinac playing as a midfielder ahead of Monreal.
Man City have enjoyed 78% possession in the past 10 minutes as they continue to probe for a second goal. It does seem like only a matter of time if the pattern of the game continues like this.
Lacazette slides a pass through to Kolasinac down the left channel, but he slices his attempted cross horribly and sends it into the side-netting.
SHOT! Martin Atkinson almost provides an assists for Man City as Torreira's pass strikes the referee and sparks an attack. It eventually falls to De Bruyne, but he fires his volley too high.
It's been a bit better from Arsenal in the last few minutes as they begin to see more of the ball in better areas, and they also look more comfortable at the back when dealing with the waves of Man City attacks. The visitors are growing into this one.
This has been a fascinating opening half-hour at the Etihad. Just like the Newcastle game, Man City have struggled to build on that very early lead.
Arsenal are still so deep, though, with both Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette sitting inside their own defensive third when Man City come forward. They are putting in a real shift, but that is leaving the team with no-one up top.
Really alert goalkeeping from Ederson as Iwobi nicks the ball and then gives it to Lacazette, who threads an almost-perfect ball through for Aubameyang. Ederson comes racing off his line, though, and makes a crucial interception.
City are just looking a little short of ideas at the moment. The hosts remain the team which looks far more likely to score, but Leo hasn't had too much to do since that opening 10 minutes.
SAVE! Work for Ederson to do here as Guendouzi feeds the ball in to Kolasinac, who has time and space to turn and shoot from just inside the area. He puts plenty of power behind it, but it is straight at the Man City keeper.
YELLOW CARD! Torreira goes into the book for a trip on De Bruyne - the first man to see yellow today.
Suddenly it is Arsenal looking the more dangerous of the two sides as they spring a few counter-attacks! The visitors are finishing this half the stronger.
GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 2-1 ARSENAL (SERGIO AGUERO)
GOAL! Aguero scored at the start of the half, and he has done so at the end of the half as well with a lovely goal. Sterling drops the ball off to Gundogan before darting into the box and collecting the chipped return.
The question then is whether Sterling can provide the killer pass, and he gets it spot on with a cushioned volley across the face of goal to leave Aguero with the simplest of finishes.
There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this first half.
CLOSE! Almost a third for Man City to kill this game just before half time. Bernardo feeds a clever ball in to De Bruyne, who fires a cross/shot right across the face of goal. It zips just past the far post and just too far in front of Sterling.
HALF TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 2-1 ARSENAL
A gripping first half comes to an end at the Etihad, then, and it is Man City who go into the break with the lead - but that only tells half the story.
Man City looked to be on course for a rout in the opening exchanges as they came flying out of the blocks, but Arsenal's equaliser changed the game and they were holding their own until City regained the lead late in the half.
Sergio Aguero scored after only 24 seconds on Tuesday night, but he took twice as long this afternoon, opening the scoring 48 seconds after kickoff as City again made the perfect start.
It was poor from Arsenal as they failed to clear their lines from the very first attack of the game, and City took full advantage as Laporte swung a cross into the box which Aguero diverted past the keeper with a good diving header.
Arsenal barely got out of their own half in the opening 10 minutes, but they levelled things up completely against the run of play in the 11th minute to stun the Etihad.
Nacho Monreal darted to the near post and flicked a corner on to Koscielny, who converted from close range with a stooping header past Ederson. It was a goal which finally settled Arsenal, and suddenly Man City did not look quite as dangerous at the other end either.
The hosts regained their advantage just before half time, though, and Arsenal can consider themselves slightly unfortunate to be behind at the interval.
It was a brilliant team move from City to get the second goal, though, with Sterling exchanging passes with Gundogan before laying the ball across the face of goal for Aguero to apply the simple finish.
KICKOFF: Man City get us back underway for the second half at the Etihad!
Fernandinho clips the ball out to Sterling, who dips inside before dropping the ball back to Bernardo. The midfielder goes for goal, but gets his shot all wrong and it goes a long way over the crossbar.
City again play that straight ball over the top which brings so many goals for them, but this time Silva cannot supply the same quality of pass as Sterling did just before half time.
SAVE! De Bruyne whips a low effort towards goal which Leno saves, but spills into a dangerous area. Silva is on it immediately, but Leno recovers well to claw the ball away from the toes of the Spaniard too.
SAVE! Another save for Leno to make here, and again it is from De Bruyne as he tries to pick out the bottom corner. The Arsenal keeper pushes it away from danger this time, though.
Arsenal are just keeping an eye on Mustafi at the moment. He winced after playing the ball a moment ago and seems to be struggling with a bit of a back problem.
CHANCE! Another chance for City, but again Leno is there. Sterling is found in space on the left flank and he plays a low ball into the box for De Bruyne, who hits it on the turn. Leno has his angles right, though, and makes the save.
Arsenal are already beginning to look tired, which is naturally after chasing the ball for so long. They still have more than half an hour to go in this one, though, so they will need to grit their teeth and get through it.
Arsenal are still very much in this game as we tick into the hour mark, but that means there is still a long way to go for them too. They have not offered any signs of getting another equaliser in this second half.
GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 3-1 ARSENAL (SERGIO AGUERO, HAT-TRICK)
GOAL! Aguero has his 10th Premier League hat-trick, although this third goal is contentious as it looks to come off his arm last.
Once again it comes from close range as the ball is fired low in to the six-yard box, and Aguero slides in. The ball comes off his leg first before catching his arm and trickling over the line before either Koscielny or Leno can get there.
A bona-fide Premier League legend...
YELLOW CARD! Gundogan goes into the book for simulation after going down inside the area. That looks like a harsh one - not a penalty but not a dive either.
ARSENAL SUBS: It is debut time for Denis Suarez as he comes on as part of a double change. Suarez replaces Kolasinac, while Aaron Ramsey comes on in place of Iwobi.
Just over 20 minutes remaining in this one, and Arsenal find themselves with a mountain to climb. This one looks a lot more likely to be a four or five-goal win for Man City than Arsenal getting back into it.
City have taken their foot off the pedal in the last 10 minutes, to the extent that Arsenal have actually seen more of the ball over that period. The hosts seem to be happy enough with that, though.
This has been too easy for Man City in this match. Arsenal held their own well for much of the first half, but in this second 45 minutes City have been able to have things pretty much all their own way.
Just 15 minutes remaining now and you get the feeling that Arsenal would be content with the full-time whistle now. They look absolutely shattered out there.
CHANCE! Aguero wants a fourth here as De Bruyne's free kick is only cleared as far as the hat-trick hero, who fires one towards goal with the outside of his boot. Leno is alert, though, and makes a decent one-handed stop.
Mustafi stays down and needs a bit of treatment here. It looks as though he will be able to continue, but Mavropanos is getting readied on the sidelines anyway.
ARSENAL SUB: Sure enough there is the change as Mustafi is replaced by Konstantinos Mavropanos.
MAN CITY SUB: The Etihad rises as one to applaud Aguero as he is replaced by Gabriel Jesus.
SAVE! Silva almost joins Aguero on the scoresheet with a powerful effort from inside the area, but Leno reads it well and makes a good save to deny the Spaniard.
Lacazette shrugs a defender off the ball before dragging a long-range strike wide of the target, but the whistle has already gone for a foul by the Arsenal striker.
CHANCE! Guendouzi gives the ball away and Man City immediately swarm all over him once again. Jesus carries the ball forward and has options either side, but he goes alone and produces a tame finish into the arms of Leno.
Concern for Man City here as De Bruyne goes down, although it looks like it may only be cramp. Guardiola will be hoping it is nothing more serious.
MAN CITY SUB: No risks taken, though; De Bruyne jogs off to be replaced by Riyad Mahrez.
SHOT! Mahrez tries to make an impact with a curling effort after cutting in from the right, but he fires it wide of the target.
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match.
FULL TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 3-1 ARSENAL
It is all very comfortable for City in the end, then, as they close the gap on Liverpool down to only two points with a 3-1 win over Arsenal.
The champions did not have things all their own way in the opening 45 minutes, but their goal just before half time proved vital and the second half was completely one-sided. Sergio Aguero netted his 10th Premier League hat-trick, while Koscielny was on the scoresheet for Arsenal.
Right, that is all we have time for this afternoon!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's Premier League clash between Manchester City and Arsenal as the champions close the gap on Liverpool to two points courtesy of Sergio Aguero's hat-trick. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
