Rating the performers on a perfect evening for Manchester City but a nightmare 90 minutes for Arsenal...
Monday 16 December 2019 07:08, UK
Bernd Leno - 7
Beaten by all three of the shots he faced in the opening 40 minutes, but couldn't be blamed for any of the concessions and then pulled off an outstanding fingertip to deny a fourth.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles - 5
Not a natural right-back and it showed. Accompanied De Bruyne to the byline for City's second goal without ever offering the impression that he intended to stop City's attack.
Calum Chambers - 5
Endured a horrible night as Arsenal's rearguard were run ragged. But there was personal mitigation in the lack of defensive nous displayed around and in front of him.
Sokratis - 5
At one point midway through the first half, Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher simply but pointedly observed: "Arsenal have just got really bad defenders." Sokratis wasn't referenced by name but there was nothing in his performance to argue otherwise.
Sead Kolasinac - 5
Back in the starting line-up after Kieran Tierney dislocated a shoulder on Monday. Lasted just over half an hour before succumbing to an injury of his own as Arsenal's injury list claimed another addition. Quite why Arsenal failed to bring on a replacement before City scored their third was a minor mystery on an evening when their missing defence was the biggest mystery of all.
Lucas Torreira - 5
A huge amount of endeavour but little end product and positioning was frequently questionable. Lost form at the end of the Unai Emery regime and seems to have lost clarity on what type of midfielder he is trying to be or should be.
Matteo Guendouzi - 4
Like Torreira, failed to offer Arsenal's ragged defence any sort of meaningful protection. The replays for De Bruyne's second goal are worth replaying just to learn from Guendouzi how not to defend in midfield.
Nicolas Pepe - 5
Some bright moments but those glimpses were followed by long periods on mute. Still not at the level a £70m player should be.
Mesut Ozil - 4
Offered very little to the point of anonymity. The contrast with De Bruyne, a true game changer, was stark if not staggering. Hauled off with a third of the game still to go and sparked a smattering of boos with the tempo of a walk-off that was no slower than anything else he had done.
Gabriel Martinelli - 7
With very little competition, Arsenal's best player. Could have given the game a different complexion had he converted his first-minute self-made chance - which also accounted for Arsenal's only shot on target - but effort levels never dropped and has emerged as a rare bright spot in an otherwise miserable season at the Emirates.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 5
Has never scored against Manchester City and never looked like doing so this weekend either. Had eight touches in the first half and three of them were from kick-offs. Influence increased after the break when he twice went relatively close to scoring.
Substitutes
Bukayo Saka - 7
On at left-back, stood up reasonably well to the task and may now be offered an extended run in the first team in a position that isn't his own. But Maitland-Niles' struggles should serve as a warning as to how damaging that might prove as he strives to establish himself as a first-team player..
Emile Smith-Rowe - 7
Made his point by offering more energy and more impact than Ozil after being brought on for the final 25 minutes.
Joe Willock - N/A
Only on for a short runaround.
Ederson - 7
With their class a cut above, City would surely have prospered to three points with or without Ederson's early block against Martinelli. But it was an important stop nevertheless - and pretty much all he had to do all evening.
Kyle Walker - 7
A spiky display befitting his former Tottenham allegiances with the useful side-effect of preventing City's standards dropping when the game was won.
Nicolas Otamendi - 6
Beaten too easily by Martinelli in the opening 60 seconds and suffered a couple of shaky moments at the start of the second-half too. But this was an easy night night overall.
Fernandinho - 8
It was Fernandinho's lovely play, carrying the ball out of defence with grace and class, which set the platform for De Bruyne's gorgeous first goal and he barely gave Aubameyang a kick thereafter.
Benjamin Mendy - 6
City's weakest line in so much as he was given an occasionally tough time by Pepe on an evening when the champions strutted and strolled to victory. Booked when he unnecessarily brought Pepe down on the edge of City's box.
Rodri - 7
Reduced to a couple of tactical fouls on the rare occasions when City were given some awkward moments but barely broke into a sweat as City played out time for the final 45 minutes.
Ilkay Gundogan - 7
One of three City players to be cautioned and taken off after 70 minutes as Pep Guardiola sought to avoid any further disciplinary problems.
Phil Foden - 7
Lined up on the right-hand side of City's midfield to provide energy, bustle and endeavour on a rare start. Just a shame it only lasted 55 minutes. But the talent is unquestionable.
Kevin De Bruyne - 9
Sensational and sublime. Ran the show from the second minute onwards, opening the scoring with a sumptuous finish, curling in an unsaveable second and only being denied a first-half hat-trick by a fingertip and the width of a post. The Belgian would improve any team in the world. His tally of ten assists is three more than any other player has managed in the Premier League this term.
Raheem Sterling - 7
Quiet but did what he needed to do with a firm finish to make the game safe as early as the 15th minute. Missed two decent opportunities later on, but by then the game was already long over.
Gabriel Jesus - 6
Blazed his best chance high over the bar and will surely have left the Emirates a little perplexed as to why he couldn't exploit Arsenal's defensive woes for a little personal gain of his own.
Substitutes
Bernardo Silva - 6
Foden's replacement just before the hour mark.
Riyad Mahrez - N/A
Given the final 20 minutes and may have made an impression had City felt any need to up the tempo. As it was, they didn't.
Oleksandr Zinchenko - N/A
Introduced for the final five minutes.
