Arsenal Vs Manchester City: 5 things we learned – Guendouzi lone bright spark

1. City are very good

Before, during and after the game, Gary Neville spoke of how little will be learned about Arsenal from this game. His point was simple. City are so good, playing the game in a completely manner and at a completely different level, that it is unfair to draw any meaningful conclusions from this performance or result, especially considering that players are missing, fitness is still being improved, and this is Unai Emery’s first competitive game in charge. He’s right.

It would be easy to criticise Arsenal for their performance. There were many things wrong with it. But I believe it is important to be balanced and accurate in assessing this fixture, and, sometimes, you simply have to say that the opposition were ‘too good’. This was one of those days.

Even without the likes of Leroy Sane, Kevin de Bruyne and Vincent Kompany, City were fabulous. They may have gotten a little loose and complacent for periods of the match, but some of their play was sublime, especially in the first half, and the two goals were wonderfully worked, well-taken, and difficult for any team to stop, particularly the second that killed the game.

Arsenal have a lot of work to catch City up. It will take years. The disparity between the two teams was plain to see. So let’s not be too harsh on Emery and his players. City are just very, very good.