After a 37-year wait for a League win away to the Gunners, City turned in a stylish display to win 2-0 thanks to first-half goals from Milner and Dzeko – though both teams ended with ten men after Koscielny and Vincent Kompany saw red.
“This is a tough place to come and we’ve not had much success in this fixture over the years so we wanted to put that right today and travel home with three points - which we did,” said Milner.
“I was happy to get my name on the score-sheet. I found a pocket of space to run into and it was a great ball from Carlos who found me and I just thought, why not? Luckily enough, it went in.”
Milner had sympathy for referee Mike Dean, who had a fine game in difficult circumstances – though replays suggest his decision to send Kompany off was incorrect.
“It’s a tough job being a referee, especially when you are playing at match speed and it was a decision that probably could have gone either way so I would need to see it again,” he said.
Dzeko, City’s top-scorer with 11 goals, missed an early penalty – having won the spot-kick himself -but recovered to score the Blues’ decisive second with a close-range finish on 32 minutes.
“The penalty and the red card was the right decision and though I didn’t score I just told myself I had to work even harder and make sure I scored when I got another chance, which I did!
“It’s important for my confidence to know that I will probably be playing in the next game and I think I have started the last four games and scored four goals.
“Of course, I’m happy but the most important thing is that the team is winning and challenging to retain our title.”
