City topple Arsenal in rampant win to go top of PL2

It seemed a tough return to action for Brian Barry-Murphy‘s side was in store, but a scintillating first-half showing had our EDS leading 5-0 at the break thanks to braces from Alex Robertson and Carlos Borges with Dire Mebude also getting amongst the goals. 

Mebude would complete his brace in the second half to record an emphatic win against the Gunners and send us top of the Premier League 2 table.  

WHAT HAPPENED 

The game promised to be a fascinating affair, with unbeaten Arsenal starting the day top of the league, threatening to take away City’s PL2 crown. 

From the start, the quality of both teams shone through as both we and Arsenal put together some neat passing moves in search of an earlier opener. 

Fortunately, that opening fell the way of City as Oscar Bobb, dropping deep into midfield, found Robertson with a perfectly weighted ball over the top, allowing our number ten to round the keeper and finish into an empty net, giving us the lead with eight minutes played. 

Soon, we started to over-power Arsenal as they struggled to match us in midfield. 

It was inevitable that a second would come, and it did in the 17th minute as a wonderful through ball from Shea Charles landed at Mebude’s feet, allowing him to run through on goal before unselfishly squaring to Borges, leaving the winger to simply tap home to score our second. 

Just before the half-hour mark, two became three thanks to a sublime piece of skill from Alex Robertson, turning his defender on the edge of the box before stroking the ball home into the bottom corner. 

It was turning into a relentless display from Brian Barry-Murphy‘s side, and with us already potentially out of sight, we scored a fourth five minutes before halftime, as a lovely one-two between Bobb and Mebude freed up the latter to smash home from inside the area. 

And if that wasn’t enough,  we grabbed our fifth before the break with Borges finding space inside the area and finishing calmly to round off a rampant first-half showing from our EDS.

With the game all but won, anyone could’ve forgiven City for just trying to cruise to the end. 

But our EDS kept up the pressure on the Gunners, continuing the high press as we looked to increase the number on the scoreboard. 

And our efforts were rewarded as Mebude jinked his way into the box before lashing a fine finish from what looked to be an impossibly tight angle past Graczyk to notch up our sixth. 

We managed to see the rest of the game out with little pressure put on our defence to record a resounding win over our opponents in an impressive showing at the Academy Stadium. 

HOW WE LINED UP 

Barry-Murphy charged Mikki van Sas to guard the City goal, and the Fin was protected by a back-line of Lakyle Samuel, Finley Burns, Jadel Katongo and Josh Wilson-Esbrand.  

Charles captained the side from defensive midfield with Kian Breckin playing slightly further forward, linking the attack alongside Robertson. 

Mebude provided the attacking threat off the right with Borges on the left, both supporting striker Bobb. 

Manchester City Elite Development Squad 

Starting XI: van Sas, Samuel, Burns (I. Smith 71’), Katongo, Wilson-Esbrand (Adam, 63), Charles (C), Mebude (L. Smith 63’),  Breckin, Bobb, Robertson, Borges (Dickson 71’). 

Substitutes: McNamara.

Arsenal Under-21s 

Starting XI: Graczyk, Walters, Foran (Monlouis 46’), Awe, Sousa, Smith (C), Henry-Francis, Bandeira (Cotterell 46’), Cozier-Duberry, Sagoe Jr, Butler-Oyedeji (Vigar 73’)

Substitutes: Cooper, Cirjan. 

WHAT IT MEANS 

The win sees us put an end to Arsenal’s unbeaten Premier League 2 run, and also sees us overtake the Gunners to become league leaders. 

We now lead the London side by one point, and also lead Liverpool by two points, although the Reds do have a game in hand. 

UP NEXT

City are greeted by another home-tie next week as we welcome Brighton and Hove Albion in Premier League 2. 

Kick-off at the Academy Stadium is 14:00 on Saturday 14 January.