Manchester City 3-1 Arsenal: Three reasons why City won

3. City’s defence held firm:

Aymeric Laporte helped keep Arsenal at bay.

City played Kyle Walker and Aymeric Laporte as the right and left centre-backs respectively as the experienced Nicolas Otamendi played at the centre of the defence. Their three-man defence was frequently supported by defensive midfielder Fernandinho, who played as a de-facto centre-back at times. Whenever Fernandinho fell back to support the defence, Walker and Laporte stretched to the wings to adopt a 4-5-1 formation.

Arsenal scored from a corner kick to equalize in the first half, but could not score from open play against a solid City defence. Both Laporte and Walker were phenomenal and did not allow Arsenal forwards Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubemyang to penetrate through the flanks.

The tactical discipline and positional awareness of the City defenders was noteworthy last night, as they kept the Arsenal forwards at bay. City still had defenders like John Stones, Vincent Kompany and Danilo on the bench, and one has to appreciate the sheer depth of their squad.

About the author

Subhadeep, an adept tennis journalist at Sportskeeda, has been writing about the sport for seven years. He is known for his exclusive match reviews and opinion pieces, utilizing his MBA degree to tackle them effectively with his problem-solving abilities.

Subhadeep lives and breathes tennis. He watches matches regularly and engages in social media platforms to stay on top of the latest happenings. As a writer, he brings the fan's perspective to his pieces, ensuring his readers enjoy an exceptional experience every time.

Growing up, he idolized Boris Becker, but he now firmly believes Novak Djokovic stands alone as the 'Greatest of all Time', especially considering the 24-time Grand Slam champion's incredible stats. One thing that still puzzles Subhadeep, however, is how Becker's Wimbledon tally might have reached five if not for Pete Sampras.

Speaking of the All England Club, the British Major holds a special place in his heart as he admires its blend of tradition and grass-court excellence. When not working for Sportskeeda, Subhadeep delves into the other "love of his life": football, and enjoys contributing his insights to different websites dedicated to the sport.

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Edited by Aniket Kar