- Adebayor (8), Adebayor (49)
- Date:2009-04-04
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:Emirates Stadium
- Attendance:60097
- Referee:Marriner, A
Live Commentary
89mins
The full time whistle goes with Arsenal strolling around the pitch, the game had been over for quite some time thanks to Adebayor's brace as City falter on the road once again.
85mins
Arsenal are just running down the clock now and City have seemingly given up as the Gunners run circles around Hughes' side, Ramsey wasting another chance, slicing it over the bar.
81mins
Bendtner makes himself look very silly after teeing himself up nicely he then manages to blast the ball high and wide with his attempt when he should have at least hit the target.
77mins
Arsenal make their last change of the game with Cesc Fabregas going off to be repaced by Aaron Ramsey.
75mins
Robinho is dragged off after a dreadful performance although he only came back from Brazil 24 hours ago and on comes Daniel Sturridge.
73mins
Great stuff from Arsenal again with Eboue and Sagna combining well to present Eboue with a golden chances, the substitute fluffing his lines and ballooning it over the bar.
70mins
Wright-Phillips does really well to beat three Arsenal players before crossing the ball into the far post, but there isn't a blue shirt in the area and the Gunners can clear.
68mins
Arsenal make a couple of changes with Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott going off with the Champions League on Tuesday in mind with Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Eboue coming on.
66mins
Walcott does really well to get past Zabaleta whose shot then beats Given only for Dunne to clear the ball off the line to prevent Arsenal going three ahead.
63mins
Remarkable stuff from Arsenal after a great crossfield pass finds Gallas inside the box whose first touch is brilliant but his finish is a poor one and he blazes it over the crossbar.
61mins
Sagna gets a first time cross in towards Adebayor who looks to nod it home but a great punch from Given prevents him from completing his hat-trick.
58mins
Elano's second corner is again towards the far post which is headed away but only as far as Zabaleta whose volley on the edge of penalty area goes straight down the throat of Almunia.
56mins
City win a corner on the left which Elano drifts in towards the far post which Almunia has to push behind for another corner.
53mins
Arsenal are in great form today as Arshavin lets the bal roll across his body for Walcott who fires in a low effort which drifts just wide.
52mins
Adebayor nearly completes his hat-trick after a low cross from Walcott finds the forward whose effort nearly squeezes the ball underneath Given but somehow the keeper gets a hold of it.
51mins
Great corner from Fabergas which is whipped into the box and finds the head of Song who nods it just inches over the crossbar.
49mins
ADEBAYOR gets his second goal of the game after a brilliant chipped pass over Dunne from Fabregas fines the Togolese striker in the box and he can slide it in past the helpless Given.
46mins
Walcott chips the ball in from the right towards the far post and with only Adebayor to aim for it's a difficult ask, this time Adebayor goes towards the near post and Walcott's cross is wasted.
45mins
The second half gets underway with City facing an uphill slog to get anything out it, they haven't won at Arsenal in the history of the Premier League.
45mins
Howard Webb brings the first half to a close with Arsenal leading at the break 1-0 but it could have been more, the Gunners wasting some good chances as have City who should be level after Fernandes' miss.
45mins
Great one-two between Song and Arshavin allowing the Russian to get in a low drive which Given pushes away, fine save from the keeper and Onuoha can clear.
44mins
Nigel De Jong also gets a yellow card.
44mins
Pablo Zabaleta goes in the book after bringing down Walcott with a heavy challenge, perhaps a bit harsh.
43mins
Arshavin takes the ball past Richards and cuts in trying to bend the ball past Given but there isn't enough bend on the effort and it drifts wide.
41mins
Elano is the next man to try his luck from 25 yards and he keeps his effort low but can't keep it on target, Almunia allowing the ball to bounce wide.
40mins
Arshavin whips in a low corner from the left towards the near post but its a poor ball into the box and Onuoha clears before Denilson can reach the ball.
39mins
Robinho tries his luck from the edge of the penalty area after some good from Pablo Zabaleta, but the Brazilian wastes the chance by blazing it high over the bar.
36mins
Manchester City are going to have to make another change early in this game with Vincent Kompany forced off with a hamstring problem and on comes Blumer Elano.
35mins
Kolo Toure goes into the referee's book after bringing down Robinho following some fancy footwork from the Brazilian.
32mins
Arshavin fizzes in a deep cross towards the far post looking for Adebayor but a smart punch from Given prevents the Arsenal forward from getting his second goal of the game.
29mins
What a chance for City! Great build-up from Wright-Phillips and Bellamy to kind Fernanandes in the box unmarked but the Swiss midfielders effort hits the post and bounces behind, he should have scored though Fernandes.
26mins
First chance for City as they break down the right through Wright-Phillips whose cross into the box finds Richards, the defenders shot forcing a good save from Almunia who is forced to use his feet to block Richards powerful effort.
23mins
City watse a freekick in Arsenal territory and that allows the Gunners to break through Walcott who slips the ball in for Adebayor but the striker is offside.
21mins
Great run by Kolo Toure whose bursts past Robinho and Pablo Zabaleta before unleashing a fierce drive a goal which Given gets behind and pushes away from danger, all to easy for Toure though as City part like the Red Sea.
21mins
Arshavin swings in a corner for Arsenal which is scrambled away by City before it falls to Song whose shot hits his own man Adebayor and eventually City can clear.
20mins
Richard Dunne becomes the first player to go into the referee's notebook after diving in on Denilson from behind.
17mins
Things go from bad to worse for Mark Hughes' side with Wayne Bridge forced off and on comes Gelson Fernandes to replace him.
15mins
Again Arsenal come forward, this time through Walcott who turns away from two City defenders before laying the ball of for Sagna whose low cross is scrambled away as City hang on.
14mins
Fabregas swings in the first corner of the game which is headed up into the air by Nedum Onuoha, allowing Fabregas to charge in and head it out goal forcing a simple save from Shay Given.
13mins
Fabregas finds himself out on the right hand side and tries to dink a cross into the penalty area but a good header from Dunne prevents it reaching Adebayor.
8mins
EMANNUEL ADEBAYOR scores on his return to action for Arsenal with a simple header from Fabergass freekick out on the right-hand side which found the Togolese striker unmarked, terrible defending from City whose game plan has been unraveled quickly.
4mins
First real attack from Man City and whilst Arsenal think they have dealt with the danger Denilson gives the ball away cheaply and from 25 yards de Jong tries to bend the ball in but Almunia is equal to it and makes a smart save.
3mins
Arsenal work the ball forward with Song flicking on a freekick for Gallas who had pushed forward into the penalty area but the French defender is offside and despite hitting the back of the net the goal won't count.
0mins
Referee Howard Webb gets the game underway with Arsenal looking to open up a six point gap over Aston Villa in fourth place whilst City go for what would be their first away win since August.
0mins
Manchester City XI: Given, Richards, Onuoha, Dunne, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Zabaleta, De Jong, Kompany, Robinho, Bellamy
0mins
Manchester City make two changes from the side that beat Sunderland last time out with Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bridge coming in for Elano and Valeri Bojinov.
0mins
Arsenal XI: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Fabregas, Song Billong, Denilson, Walcott, Adebayor, Arshavin
0mins
Arsenal welcome back Cesc Fabregas for the first time in three months and also have Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott available for selection again.The Gunners are without Robin van Persie,Samir Nasri and Abou Diaby.
Match Preview
Arsenal's bid to beat off the competition from Aston Villa for fourth place faces another hurdle with the visit of Manchester City.
The Gunners currently hold a three-point lead over the Midlanders with eight games to play, with Arsene Wenger's side unbeaten in their last 16 Premier League games.
However, their last reverse came at the hands of the Citizens, with Arsenal beaten 3-0 at Eastlands in late November.
Since then Wenger's men have slowly but surely hauled in Villa and now overtaken them with wins in their last three games.
Their upturn in form has coincided with an easing of the injury problems that plagued the Gunners earlier on in the campaign and a further massive boost could come with the return of skipper Cesc Fabregas from a long-term knee injury.
Robin van Persie is a major doubt after suffering a groin strain while on international duty with the Netherlands, but Theo Walcott is back in contention after knee problems.
Visiting City have banished any fears of relegation and are up into the top half of the table following a narrow 1-0 win at home to Sunderland last time out.
However, boss Mark Hughes still has a number of injury problems to contend with, but expects to have both Daniel Sturridge and Benjani Mwaruwari back in contention.
Martin Petrov and Michael Johnson are also close to returning to the fold, but the trip to the capital will come just too soon for both men.
Meanwhile, Hughes is sweating on knocks picked up by Vincent Kompany, Shay Given, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Valeri Bojinov and Robinho while they were away on international duty.
However, his biggest headache comes with striker Craig Bellamy having picked up a knee injury in training with Wales and almost certain to will definitely miss the weekend action.
Hughes admits he will have some work to do after the international break, saying: "Most of the players are playing high-profile games for their countries that are crucial to their World Cup qualification.
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Match Report
Two goals from Emmanuel Adebayor, one in each half, gave Arsenal all the points from a 2-0 win over Manchester City which kept the Gunners in fourth spot.
City were the last club to beat the Gunners before they embarked on their current unbeaten run.
Mark Hughes started with both Robinho and Craig Bellamy, who were both doubts after injuries picked up on international duty.
City began positively and Nigel De Jong forced a save out of Manuel Almunia on five minutes with a curling 20-yard shot that the Spanish keeper secured at the second attempt.
The Gunners took the lead however on eight minutes through fit-again Adebayor. Andrey Arshavin's corner eluded Alex Song but fell to the unmarked Togolese striker, who picked his spot with a firm header.
Kolo Toure went close for the Gunners on 22 minutes after a run into the box past a couple of City players opened up the goal for the defender, but his shot was straight at keeper Shay Given.
Almunia was called upon to deny substitute Gelson Fernandes on 27 minutes after he was found by Shaun Wright-Philips, but his shot from the right side was blocked by the legs of the Gunners' keeper.
Four minutes later, the same player, again put through by the lively Wright-Philips was in on goal on the right side of the area, but his shot found the outside of the right upright.
Wright-Philips himself saw an effort dip just over the crossbar after Song half cleared a free-kick to the City attacker, who instantly sent a volley towards Almunia's goal.
Given kept his side in the game a minute before half-time when he made a fine save from Arshavin whose clever interplay with Adebayor deserved a goal.
The Gunners were 2-0 up within three minutes of the re-start after Cesc Fabregas lifted a clever pass over Richard Dunne to the feet of Adebayor, who proceeded to go around Given before rolling the ball into the net.
He came close to a hat-trick a minute later after rising to meet another Arshavin corner, but this time his header flew over the bar.
Pablo Zabaleta had a fierce 20-yard strike saved by Almunia just before the hour, but that was the extent of their threat.
Theo Walcott had a screamer saved by Given on 68 minutes just before being replaced by Emmanuel Eboue, then Aaron Ramsey had an effort comfortably saved by Given in the dying minutes.
That was the extent of the noteworthy action as full-time approached and the Gunners passed the ball around, training ground style, clearly with one eye on Villarreal this coming Tuesday.
Arsenal Team
Manchester City Team
Arsenal | Manchester City |
Corners
| 7 | 2 |
Fouls
| 11 | 9 |
Goal attempts
| 17 | 9 |
Shots off target
| 9 | 4 |
Offsides
| 5 | 0 |



87mins
Ramsey whips in a low cross towards the near post looking for Bendtner but Given is there quickly to grab the ball before the striker can reach it.