An astonishing lunchtime game saw Theo Walcott score twice on his return to the starting XI but the hosts came out on top, while Sergio Aguero and Laurent Koscielny were injured
The 2011-12 champions went into the game six
points adrift of Arsene Wenger's league leaders but moved within
striking distance of the Londoners by claiming the spoils in an
enthralling encounter.Sergio Aguero opened the scoring for City,
volleying home from a corner, only for the returning Theo Walcott to
level midway through the first half.
Alvaro Negredo turned home
Pablo Zabaleta's cross to put the hosts back in front and City looked to
have made the game safe when Fernandinho scored his first goal for the
club early in the second half.
FERNANDINHO STARS
PLAYER RATINGS: The Brazilian midfielder excelled with a double, writes Peter Staunton at the Etihad Stadium
England winger Walcott curled home a delightful second as Arsenal
rallied, yet David Silva converted Jesus Navas's cross to make it 4-2
and Fernandinho struck again in the 88th minute.
An injury-time
header from Per Mertesacker provided little consolation for the
visitors, particularly as there was still time for Yaya Toure to add
City's sixth from the penalty spot.
Walcott made his first start
since September for Arsenal, while City manager Pellegrini once again
preferred Costel Pantilimon to Joe Hart in goal.
The hosts started the stronger and were rewarded after 13 minutes when Aguero met Martin Demichelis's near-post flick-on from a corner with an acrobatic volley that flew past Wojciech Szczesny.
City's advantage was almost doubled seven minutes later when Negredo shot wide from Vincent Kompany's through-ball.
Despite offering little in response, Arsenal equalised after 31 minutes when Walcott finished a flowing move with a shot from the edge of the area that left Pantilimon flat-footed.
Negredo
wasted a gilt-edged chance soon after but the Spain striker atoned for
that miss when scoring from point-blank range in the 39th minute
following good work from Toure and Zabaleta. To make matters worse for
Arsenal, Laurent Koscielny sustained an injury as the Spaniard found the
net and the defender was forced off, to be replaced by Thomas
Vermaelen.
Aguero was also withdrawn through injury after the break but City grabbed a third when Fernandinho capitalised on sloppy Arsenal defending with a curled finish.
Wenger's
men produced a determined response, Olivier Giroud heading wide before a
penalty appeal for handball against Zabaleta went unanswered.
Walcott's
exquisite second provided genuine hope for Arsenal but City were not to
be denied and soon restored their two-goal advantage through Silva.
Wilshere
forced Pantilimon into a fine save with a shot from distance but the
midfielder was at fault for City's fifth as he conceded possession to
allow Fernandinho to score his second.
That goal came with two minutes remaining, yet there was still time for Mertesacker to pull one back and Toure to finish from 12 yards after James Milner had been brought down by Szczesny.
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