Arsenal Vs Manchester City: Player ratings – Quality City carve open

Midfield

Matteo Guendouzi – CM: 7.0

Best outfield player for Arsenal. Worked tirelessly in the midfield, passed it nicely into wide and advanced positions, and pressed the City midfield well when he had the opportunity to do so. He did make a few youthful mistakes, which is to be expected at his age and inexperience, particularly given the occasion, and there was a little over-exuberance at times, but Guendouzi held his own in the biggest test of his career so far.

Granit Xhaka – CM: 4.5

There is a reason that he was substituted for Lucas Torreira, not Guendouzi. Even with his age and extra experience, Guendouzi was much the better central midfielder for Arsenal. Xhaka was overly safe and conservative in possession, he was dispossessed deep in his own half on a number of occasions and he failed to wrestle control of the game from the masterful Manchester midfield. He is not a £35 million player.

Aaron Ramsey – CM: 5.5

Poor from Ramsey. He didn’t really look very sharp and played in a very advanced position in the first half without actually pressing the City defence, on and off the ball. Much of what he tried didn’t come off, culminating in him passing it straight out of play when he anticipated Mesut Ozil looping around his back. He’s better from a deeper starting position, that is for sure.