Arsenal v Manchester Metropolis: Premier League – dwell | Premier League

22 min Merino, within the centre circle, tries to place Gyokeres clear by way of with a wonderful first-time go. The appropriate-back Khusanov exhibits glorious positioning and enviable tempo to beat Gyokeres to the ball and clear. Terrific defending that as a result of Gyokeres would have been by way of on purpose.

20 min Merino farts round in possession and is robbed 25 yards from purpose. Metropolis's New Transitionists proceed with urgency till, about 0.2 seconds later, Reijnders' low shot from distance is held to his proper by David Raya.

18 min The nook is barely underhit and O'Reilly heads away on the close to publish.

Metropolis's strategy is fascinating. Of their pomp they dominated possession whereever they went; right here they're taking part in just like the away aspect.

It's on the fitting so Madueke will take it…

17 min As issues stand – I do know, I do know – Liverpool are six factors away from each their predominant title rivals.

16 min Khusanov wants remedy after an Arsenal participant stood on his foot. It seemed an entire accident and there have been no Metropolis complaints, solely a yelp of ache from Khusanov.

14 min When Haaland scored, the possesson stats had been one thing like 74-26 in Arsenal's favour. Now Metropolis are retaining the ball a bit extra, likely helped by a barely surprised response from Arsenal to the purpose. The most effective defence in world soccer is just not speculated to be taken to the cleaners like that.

13 min “Yikes,” says Niall Mullen. “Look on his works ye mighty and despair.”

12 min The end and the run had been marvellous, as was Reijnders' help, however it began with Haaland's deft go not far away. Like Barney Ronay mentioned, this can be a new mannequin Haaland.

11 min Gary Neville has simply in contrast Haaland's purpose to one of many nice counter-attacks of contemporary occasions.

Haaland was surrounded by Arsenal gamers when he obtained the ball 15 yards inside his personal half. He slipped an astute go not far away to Reijnders, received on his bike and instantly Metropolis had been three on two in opposition to a backpedalling defence. Reijnders scampered ahead, waited for Haaland to look to his proper and flicked a wonderfully timed return go. Haaland took it on the run and beat David Raya with an unerring end from 15 yards. That's about as incisive as soccer will get.

That is devastating. Totally, frighteningly sensible.

7 min Arsenal proceed to make the working. Timber curves a superb go into area for Gyokeres, who makes a wonderful run however is effectively tracked by Gvardiol and the transfer peters out.

4 min Arsenal have began fairly effectively. Trossard makes a surging run down the left earlier than being eased to the bottom with a touch of disdain by Khusanov. No foul given.

1 min They usually're off. Metropolis have began with Phil Foden on the fitting and Bernardo Silva because the right-sided No8, a swap from the final two video games. That is their revised line-up.

Manchester Metropolis (4-1-2-3ish) Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiola, O'Reilly; Rodri; Bernardo, Reijnders; Foden, Haaland, Doku.

A reminder of the groups

Arsenal (4-1-2-3ish) Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi; Merino, Rice; Madueke, Gyokeres, Trossard.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, White, Saka, Eze, Martinelli, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly.

Manchester Metropolis (4-1-2-3ish) Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiola, O'Reilly; Rodri; Foden, Reijnders; Bernardo, Haaland, Doku.
Subs: Trafford, Stones, Ake, Nico, Savinho, Nunes, Bobb, Mukasa, Lewis.

Referee Stuart Attwell.

The Premier League desk at kick off

Barney Ronay on that elephant-shaped factor over there

This has by now turn into one thing of a joke on the soccer periphery. Why has it taken so lengthy? The costs relate to monetary reporting, worker remuneration and profitability and sustainability regulation. How exhausting can it's to resolve this?

Truly very exhausting, and that is regular. As somebody with knowledgeable perception into the method of company regulation, there's, to make use of a technical time period, lots of complicated bullshit to wade by way of. One semi-dead case at my outdated regulation agency had been happening for eight years, a lot of that point taken up dusting off recordsdata in a south-coast hangar and aggressively rating native seafood eating places.

Ed Aarons assesses the brand new, improved Arsenal

There have been rumours that [Gabriel] Martinelli and [Leandro] Trossard could possibly be allowed to depart in the summertime however it's understood [Mikel] Arteta was eager to maintain each regardless of the arrivals of Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze. Martinelli and Trossard scored 10 objectives every final season and made common contributions, even when the previous has struggled to hit the heights of the 2022-23 marketing campaign when he managed 15. However the Brazilian's tempo offers a really completely different possibility on the left to Eze, who prefers to float inside.

Learn Barney Ronay on Erling Haaland 2.0

Pep Guardiola's eyes boggled with pleasure as he spoke concerning the relentlessness of his gamers. “Erling is a machine,” was Jérémy Doku's verdict after Erling Haaland had scored two positive objectives and in between spent a lot of the sport working over the assorted parts of sullen human flesh appearing because the United defence.

William Saliba returns from damage for Arsenal, certainly one of two modifications from the midweek win in Bilbao. Leandro Trossard is most popular to Eberechi Eze on the left wing; Cristhian Mosquera maeks means for Saliba. Oh, and Bukayo Saka is match sufficient to be on the bench.

Pep Guardiola names the identical beginning XI for the third sport in a row. He can't have finished that too many occasions throughout his profession.

Arsenal (4-1-2-3ish) Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi; Merino, Rice; Madueke, Gyokeres, Trossard.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, White, Saka, Eze, Martinelli, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly.

Manchester Metropolis (4-1-2-3ish) Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiola, O'Reilly; Rodri; Foden, Reijnders; Bernardo, Haaland, Doku.
Subs: Trafford, Stones, Ake, Nico, Savinho, Nunes, Bobb, Mukasa, Lewis.

Referee Stuart Attwell.

Arsenal v Manchester Metropolis was speculated to be the Premier League's subsequent nice rivalry, a sprawling epic to check with Liverpool v Manchester Metropolis (2018-22) – perhaps even Arsenal v Manchester United (1996-2005; shameless plug alert).

Metropolis and Arsenal had been the highest two in successive seasons from 2022-24, with Metropolis pipping their rising challengers on each events. Then, ayear in the past this weekend, they drew 2-2 in an exhilarating, humble and spiteful sport on the Etihad. Even in late September, the match felt massively vital to the title race.

On the ultimate whistle, the Guardian minute-by-minute reporter concluded, “I believe we will now say that Man Metropolis v Arsenal is a correct rivalry.”

The rivalry has been frozen in time due to Liverpool's spectacular success beneath Arne Slot. A yr in the past they had been the very best of the remainder; now they're the reigning champions. Liverpool have additionally spent £450m and – by hook, criminal or fairytale winners from 16-year-olds – received their first 5 Premier League video games of the season.

Arsenal (who're six factors behind with immediately's sport in hand) and Metropolis (9 factors) want a win to keep up their proximity to Liverpool's tail lights. That, greater than the rivalry between the perimeters or Metropolis's need to avenge their 5-1 pasting in February, is why immediately's sport feels so vital – even in late September.

Kick off 4.30pm.