A good, competitive match between two of England’s very best, with the home team taking the points and the bragging rights with a 1-0 victory. No real surprise – (City are top of the table and feature roughly 38 million pounds worth of former Arsenal players in its ranks) but the Gunners had been in blistering form leading into this one and plenty of fans were talking up the upset.
Scratch all that talk.
It was never really much of a chance I suppose, but with this one Manchester City also put a stake through the heart of Arsenal’s title hopes for this year. 12 points City, 10 points behind United – time for the Gunners to switch their attentions to what promises to be a blood-filled fight to make the top four. Tottenham, Liverpool (and maybe even Newcastle) stand in their, way but it’s Chelsea who are holding them out at the moment by a three point margin. For Arsenal, that is where the challenge is. Game on Blues.
Meanwhile, it was the kind of performance we’ve come to expect from the Citizens. Controlled. Calculated. Reliable. The anti Matthew Newton I suppose. Week by week they continue to establish their title credentials with professional performances right across the park. Their lead at the top of the table has shrunk to just two points, and so far neither City nor their hated cross town rivals are showing any signs of slipping. The Battle for Manchester is now officially looming as the best thing in football.
It wouldn’t be a complete week without some Mario Balotelli hilarity though – this week’s episode included rumours that he had been caught the night before the game wandering the streets dressed as Santa Claus handing out 20 pound notes to pedestrians. Roberto Mancini (long past surprise at any kind of behaviour at this stage) summed up all of our thoughts on the matter when he quipped, “With Mario, it is possible.”
And bless him, it really is.
