Arsenal set records in devastating home loss to Manchester City

Arsenal

Manchester City inflicted Arsenal’s worst first-half performance in the Premier League era on the Gunners with a breathtaking display in a 3-0 win at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday.

Leroy Sane helped to set up two brilliant goals for Bernardo and David Silva and scored the third himself as the champions-elect ran riot over Arsenal again, four days after Sunday’s 3-0 Wembley win in the Carabao Cup final.

Arsenal had never conceded three goals before half-time at home in the Premier League before, but they were perhaps fortunate to escape without further punishment, with Petr Cech denying Sergio Aguero his 200th City goal.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan had urged Arsenal to “fight” for under-fire manager Arsene Wenger, but an awful defensive display will likely lead to fresh calls for the Frenchman to be replaced.

The result was City’s biggest victory at Arsenal in any competition since a 4-0 win in November 1912.

Furthermore, the match tied the record for Arsenal’s worst loss at home in the Premier League, with the Gunners also falling by three-goal margins to Coventry in 1993, Middlesbrough in 2001 and Chelsea twice in 2009.

With seven defeats, Wenger’s men also have lost more matches in all competitions in 2018 than any other Premier League team.

Arsenal — now sitting in sixth place, 10 points out of the top four — travel to face Brighton on Sunday before facing AC Milan next Thursday at the San Siro in the first leg of a Europa League last-16 clash.