- Sterling, B. Silva score
- Maitland-Niles limps off
- Mendy sets up two
- De Bruyne, Sane start on bench
Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva scored in each half as Manchester City eased to a 2-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday.
Plenty of big names were on the bench to start the game, with Leroy Sane, Kevin De Bruyne, and Alexandre Lacazette all waiting to enter the fray.
Benjamin Mendy set up both of Man City’s goals.
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Arsenal boss Unai Emery handed a surprise start to 19-year-old Matteo Guendouzi, while Man City manager Pep Guardiola left Leroy Sane and Kevin De Bruyne on the bench.
The game itself began with a surprising early chance for Aaron Ramsey which perhaps caught the Welshman himself offguard, his outside of the boot shot arriving safely to Ederson.
Raheem Sterling saw an early yellow card for a reckless tackle on Guendouzi’s ankle.
Petr Cech punched a Kyle Walker cross out for a corner in the eighth minute, and would have to stop Sterling at the other post within a minute.
Sterling got the opener in the 14th minute, ripping a shot through the packed-in Arsenal defense. It took the smallest turn off a defender, but appeared destined for the goal regardless of deflection.
Cech almost scored an amazing own goal when he turned a back pass from Guendouzi just past his far post.
Sokratis then saw yellow for a takedown of Sergio Aguero on the edge of the box following a poor giveaway from Granit Xhaka.
The ensuing Riyad Mahrez free kick nearly found the corner far and low, but Cech palmed it. Aymeric Laporte‘s effort at the rebound was stymied, and the defender took a cleat from Cech before colliding with the goal post.
Alex Maitland-Niles needed to leave the match in he 32nd minute, walking off gingerly, but had to stay at left back while a replacement was readied by Emery. Stephane Lichtsteiner relieved Maitland-Niles in the 35th.
Ramsey led a rare Arsenal charge in the 33rd minute, moved by Mesut Ozil to Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who couldn’t get room to shoot past John Stones.
Mahrez couldn’t get enough of a bend on a left-footed effort in the 42nd minute, well-watched by Lichtsteiner and Sokratis.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang tried to steal an equalizer with a rare touch, but his rip was well wide of the goal.
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50 – Raheem Sterling has scored 50 Premier League goals, with his strike against Arsenal only his third from outside the box. Bullseye. pic.twitter.com/ZNrwYRh0oa
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 12, 2018
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A Guendouzi error sent Aguero on a 50-yard run toward Cech, and the Argentine took a shot rather than pass left to De Bruyne.
The complaints were quickly forgotten in a haze of Bernardo-inspired celebration, as the Portuguese attacked beat Cech with an 16-yard bid.
