Premier League: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger praises Gunners' discipline in 2-0 win at Manchester City
Monday 19 January 2015 09:31, UK
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has praised the discipline of his side after their 2-0 victory away at Manchester City.
A Santi Cazorla penalty and an Olivier Giroud header gave the Gunners a long-awaited away win on Sunday against top-four opposition - their first at the Etihad in over four years.
Wenger’s team has been criticised in the past for heavy defeats against the Premier League’s top sides, but the Gunners boss was pleased with his how they performed.
“We kept a good control of the game," Wenger told Sky Sports. "We had the consistent discipline for 90 minutes that's needed in big games, we looked in control away from home and we finally got a big win in a big game away from home.
"We weren’t far off at Liverpool (a 2-2 draw at Anfield last month), but today we did."
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Victory moves Arsenal back up to fifth in the Premier League table, just a point outside of the Champions League qualification places.
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The Gunners tactically appeared far more defensively-minded than usual, far different from last year's performance at City where they leaked six goals.
"We played high up in their half and deep in our half," Wenger added. "It worked because we wanted to make the space very tight in our final third, especially in front of the box where (David) Silva's so influential.
"Sometimes away from home (referring to last season’s 6-3 defeat), you are one or two-nil down after 20 minutes, so you have no choice other than to open yourself up.
"The first goal dictates the way of the game 80 per cent of the time. Today we scored first and that changes the game. I think we could have even done better many times on counter-attacks.
"What is pleasing is that it (the win) reinforces the belief of the team. We have five very important months in front of us and the feeling you can do well is very important for a group of players.
"Some players were a bit short physically because they’ve just come back from injury, but overall, we did that very well and that’s down to discipline."
On the penalty that broke the deadlock, Wenger said: "My initial reaction from the bench was penalty.
"Somebody told me we were a little bit fortunate but I'll have to watch it again."
