Arsenal sealed their supporting role behind Leicester in the Premier League Christmas billing by beating fellow title hopefuls Manchester City 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium late Monday night.
Arsene Wenger’s side soaked up some early City pressure before Theo Walcott curled home just after the half-hour mark for his first league goal since he scored in the 5-2 win over the Foxes in September.
The Gunners even have their own answer to Leicester hot-shot Jamie Vardy as Olivier Giroud made it 12 goals in 14 games, doubling Arsenal’s advantage on the stroke of half-time with Yaya Toure’s eyecatching consolation not enough to prevent the hosts winning.
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The victory leaves Arsenal two points behind leaders Leicester, while Manuel Pellegrini’s City remain six points adrift as their indifferent away form continues. Arsenal’s 2-0 victory at City in January was a result Wenger said gave him and his players belief they could beat the big teams and challenge for the title.
And much of this performance was similar to that at the Etihad Stadium, and the recent Champions League victory over Bayern Munich here, as Wenger’s side put in a professional and measured display rather than adopting a risky approach of all-out attack.
The momentum before the game appeared to be with the visitors who welcomed Sergio Aguero back into their side after a heel injury, while Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez had failed in his own attempt to be fit for the clash.
And the hosts started slowly before a simple ball into Mesut Ozil allowed him to play in Walcott, who carried the ball back out of the penalty area before arching a superb finish past the despairing dive of his England team-mate Joe Hart.
And things got even better for Wenger’s men on the stroke of halftime as Eliaquim Mangala gifted possession to the Gunners and Ozil again produced the assist, sliding in a pass for Giroud to finish between Hart’s legs.
Aguero then made way for Wilfried Bony having lasted a little over an hour on his latest comeback from injury.
After Aaron Ramsey spurned two excellent chances for Arsenal, Toure gave City a lifeline as he guided a measured left-foot finish past Cech with eight minutes left. But Arsenal hung on to take another vital three points.
