Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal: Premier League – as it happened

Jamie Jackson was at the Etihad tonight, and his report his landed. Click and enjoy … and thanks for reading this MBM!

The matchwinner Raheem Sterling speaks! “We have dropped a couple of points early on, and needed three to kick-start our season, and that’s a vital win against a top side. I wouldn’t say confidence had gone, but we were disappointed, and today gives us a leap of confidence for the next couple of games. I’m just grateful to help out the team today. Me and Sergio took up some great positions in the pockets at times. Arsenal are a difficult team and closed the pitch really well. But we had some good chances.”

A slight curate’s egg of a game. City were good, but not great; Arsenal showed some promise, but achieved little. A draw wouldn’t have been a complete affront to the concept of justice, but City were deserved winners on balance, and in Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling boasted the game’s two star turns. So fair’s fair. “It is true that it’s nice for us Arsenal fans not to watch games in constant worry of suddenly shipping five goals,” writes Kári Tulinius. “While the rest of the league has put on a clown suit, Arsenal is dressing sensibly. The team used to be a guarantee of fun, but now we’re an oasis of dull in a desert of fun.”

That result catapults City up to tenth place, on seven points. They’ve only played four, unlike Arsenal, who are now fifth on nine points after five games. Everton still lead on 13, three clear of second-placed Liverpool. This is going to be a tight season, isn’t it? We’re due one. Very much looking forward to it!

Just enough time for the new man Partey to pick up a booking for a cynical tug on Mahrez … and that’s it. City get their second win of the season, despite never finding top form. Arsenal played well in bursts, but rarely threatened.

90 min +3: Tierney wins a corner off Mahrez out on the left … but the referee doesn’t notice the small deflection and it’s a goal kick that should be enough to see City through.

90 min +2: But Silva knocks Gabriel over, and that’s a free kick out on the left. A chance for Arsenal to load the box … but the set piece is easily cleared by the hosts. Ederson has had next to nothing to do in this second half.

90 min +1: City look compact and comfortable at the moment.

88 min: Aubameyang drives down the left, chasing a long pass into the box. Walker again refuses to budge, ushering the ball back to his keeper and drawing a frustrated foul into the bargain.

87 min: Space for Sterling down the left. He enters the…