Few would detail a player of Silva’s height and skillset to play left back against Bukayo Saka, the most prolific young goalscorer in Arsenal’s history. Few set up at Arsenal the way Guardiola did. There are a lot of expensive teams in this league and across Europe, a lot of coaches who can chequebook their way out of it when trouble arises. It was Haaland who scrambled Gabriel’s brains into a series of second-half mistakes and scored the third, it was Jack Grealish whose low shot defeated Aaron Ramsdale for the second, dragging Arsenal from the summit. ![]() Picture: Julian Finney/Getty ImagesĪnd, yes, it may seem contrary on a night when a £100 million forward scored the crucial goal to suggest Manchester City are not back on top because of the money. Guardiola was at his brilliant best at the Emirates. Why give away trade secrets like that? It’s gold dust, this stuff. Asked what they were, Haaland claimed not to remember. He said the manager made a few tiny adjustments prior to the second half. Quite probably he expanded on those instructions in the 15 half-time minutes and City were simply better after that. Everyone went away and did what they were told. “No, no, no,” said Guardiola - professional lip-readers not needed here - and proceeded to go through the lesson again. At one stage, a member of the group must have got the gist slightly wrong. He moved his hands swiftly as if shadow boxing, indicating when one needed to drop in, when one needed to step out. He summoned Bernardo Silva, Nathan Ake and Ilkay Gundogan. Pep Guardiola came to the touchline and used that moment to give an impromptu coaching session. He was clearly going to need treatment for a short time. ![]() THERE was a moment in the first half when Kyle Walker took a fall on to his back from height after an aerial tussle and lay stricken on the pitch.
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