Gunners stun City

Manchester. — Arsenal ended their away hoodoo against Premier League title challengers with a 2-0 victory at Manchester City yesterday that left Chelsea five points clear at the top.

Santi Cazorla looked dead on his feet. The first Arsenal substitution had been made and more than a few were surprised it had not been his number called. He had run himself into the ground keeping the champions quiet. All of Arsenal’s midfield had.

Still, there was a free-kick to be taken and Cazorla is Arsenal’s free-kick taker. He chipped a curling ball into the Manchester City area, Olivier Giroud outran, out-thought and out-muscled Fernando, and applied a delightfully weighted glancing header. Joe Hart was nowhere. The game was won.

This was the Arsenal all too rarely seen. They stuck at it, they grafted, they played City on the break, they soaked it up, they were tenacious, determined, superb without the ball.

And yet they had the best chances, too. Arsenal in possession were quick, they had purpose. City were ponderous, hesitant. A first-timer, told that one of these teams was chasing down the league leaders would have instantly plumped for the band in yellow.

They may not have seen much of the ball but, when they did get it, they knew what to do.

This was a huge result, for Arsenal and for the English season. It puts Arsene Wenger’s men very much in contention for that fourth Champions League place — and maybe higher, if Southampton cannot hold their admirable nerve, and it leaves Chelsea again in the box seat at the top.

They are five points clear now, with City to play at home on January 31. Win that and they can begin planning the parade. If City do not bounce back speedily from this, the title race could be over sooner than many imagined.

If the criticism is that Arsenal cannot play a clever, containing game on the counter-attack, the first-half here was the response.

At times Arsenal possession statistics dropped to as low as 21 per cent, yet they look dangerous on the break, goalkeeper David Ospina did not have a save of consequence to make, and the midfield worked devilishly hard shutting out the supply line to Sergio Aguero, not least through David Silva.

It was a performance with all the qualities Arsenal are said to lack and one that left the locals noisily frustrated. By the end of their half they were in a snit with their team, and Mike Dean the referee, news clearly having reached the Etihad of the contentious nature of Arsenal’s lead.

Meanwhile, West Ham supporters were booing at half-time of this encounter.

What a difference 45 minutes makes. Three goals, three points, no jeers, just cheers.

Fickle lot football fans, aren’t they?

You have to wonder what Sam Allardyce’s thoughts were as he walked off at the break?

If you’re getting booed off at half-time at 0-0, what chance have you got?

Perhaps the jeers were justified. Indeed, Hull started much the brighter, winning two corners inside the first two minutes — both times after excellent play from Sone Aluko to get past James Tomkins.

The first real chance arrived in the sixth minute and it was Aluko again who was doing the damage, getting to the byline before finding Ahmed Elmohamady who, unmarked from 10 yards, fired wide.

It was a real let-off for the Hammers, and Allardyce knew it — his side were still in Sunday morning mode.

Aaron Cresswell tried to inject life into his side in the eight minute, but his long-range effort flew narrowly wide of Allan McGregor’s far post. — Mailonline.