Arsenal vs Manchester City: Last 3 meetings

Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City

12th August 2018, Premier League

Bernardo Silva and Raheem Sterling shot Arsenal down on the opening day of 2018-19

The opening day of the 2018-19 season saw reigning champions City get their title defence off to an excellent start with a commanding 0-2 win over Arsenal at the Emirates. The game sounded like a tricky fixture for Pep Guardiola’s men, but in execution, they made it look anything but.

Playing their first match without Arsene Wenger at the helm since 1996, the Gunners were restricted to just 3 shots on target in a total of 9 attempts, and City also bossed possession, taking a 58% share of the ball.

Raheem Sterling opened the scoring for Guardiola’s side, cutting into the box past Hector Bellerin and Matteo Guendouzi before rifling a right-footed shot into the net. After coming under criticism during the 2018 World Cup, this was the perfect answer to Sterling’s critics and was an early indicator of the fantastic season he’d enjoy.

It took until 64 minutes for the champions to double their lead; a low cross from Benjamin Mendy was finished excellently by Bernardo Silva, who smashed a left-footed shot into the net past Petr Cech, but it never really felt like Arsenal were capable of getting back into the game.

This was an excellent opening win for City – and a reality check for Arsenal’s then-new boss Unai Emery.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Vishal Subramanian