Ste McGovern
Man City put themselves within two points of league leaders Liverpool with a convincing 3-1 win over Arsenal, a result that Twitter was able to sum up perfectly.
The mood was set once Arsenal announced their starting line-up.
Lichtsteiner starts pic.twitter.com/iR2gfCKx72
— NotoriousAFC ?? (@Ililli0000) February 3, 2019
Mustafi when Man City are on the attack. pic.twitter.com/D5nlZo7ExB
— ⚽The⚽Arsenal?⚪ (@ArsenalNewsGoon) February 3, 2019
Meanwhile Man City fans were none the wiser when it came to their formation either.
https://twitter.com/Desiigner_Jo/status/1092083504014331906
Is it 4-3-3? 3-1-3-3? God only knows.
Gunners fans worst fears were confirmed after a grand total of 46 seconds, when a — you guessed it — defensive mistake allowed Sergio Aguero to open the scoring.
Arsenal defending be like… pic.twitter.com/XrwhiV1BgC
— Big Sead (@Big_SeadK) February 3, 2019
Stephan Lichtsteiner has kept one clean sheet in his last 11 league starts for Juventus and Arsenal.
It was in December.
Against Huddersfield.
When he was substituted.
After 45 minutes.
— Football365 (@F365) February 3, 2019
1.4% of all opening minute goals in Premier League history have been scored by Sergio Aguero in the past six days
— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) February 3, 2019
City’s penchant for losing early leads came back to haunt them again though, with the away side nabbing an equaliser through an unlikely source just ten minutes later
https://twitter.com/DejiAdediran/status/1092101150810275840
Arsenal’s midfield seemed to be coping admirably with the task at hand, stopping City from creating too many chances.
https://twitter.com/MC_of_A/status/1092108585180561411
It couldn’t last forever though; Aguero, via a Raheem Sterling assist, restored the lead right before half-time, deflating any semblance of Arsenal optimism.
Now that is an incredibly handsome goal. Gündoğan’s first-time wedge was 10/10. https://t.co/d8ShH9Zdz8
— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) February 3, 2019
100 – At the age of 24 years and 57 days, Raheem Sterling has become the seventh youngest player in Premier League history to register 100 goal involvements in the competition (59 goals, 41 assists). Centurion. #MCIARS pic.twitter.com/OCi7uuN3uz
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 3, 2019
Sorry Liverpool. Arsenal Tried
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) February 3, 2019
After an enjoyable 45 minutes of football, Man City went into the half-time break 2-1 ahead.
Will allow "pulsating" to describe this first half, but I will not accept "breathless"
— Adam Hurrey (@FootballCliches) February 3, 2019
Only highlight for me, let’s go home boys pic.twitter.com/0vW8mknUhW
— Tayyab Hussain (@Tayyab_402) February 3, 2019
On the hour mark Aguero grabbed his 14th hat-trick for Man City, and the 10th of his Premier League career.
Aguero has scored 156 goals and provided 41 assists in 227 games.
Most @premierleague hat-tricks:
—11: ???????Alan Shearer
—10: ??SERGIO AGÜERO
—9: ???????Robbie Fowler
—8: ???????Michael Owen
—8: ??Thierry Henry
—8: ???????Harry Kane#MCIARS #mancity pic.twitter.com/uxUn0CkaB1
— DB (@DatoBHJ) February 3, 2019
Sergio Aguero now has as many PL hat-tricks as Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona, Dennis Bergkamp, Daniel Sturridge, Jurgen Klinsmann, Gianluca Vialli, Louis Saha, Dirk Kuyt, Robert Pires & Samuel Eto'o combined
— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) February 3, 2019
The Argentine striker was a very deserved Man of the Match.
?Sergio Aguero – Man of the Match ?
Shots: 4
On target: 4
Goals: ⚽⚽⚽
Touches: 4320 goals this season (14 in PL)
14th @ManCity hat-trick (10th in PL)
40 goals in 63 apps v big 6 sides, 19 more than any other player since debut in 2011 pic.twitter.com/j7BOpQUg0C
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) February 3, 2019
The match finished 3-1, Arsenal unable to get anywhere near their City counterparts in the second-half.
How do we defend? pic.twitter.com/USFjF29vhQ
— TheUnaiView (@TheUnaiView) February 3, 2019
Arsenal had 0 shots in the second half. That's actually pretty impressive.
— Zito (@_Zeets) February 3, 2019
Otamendi is the only outfield City player who hasn’t completed more final third passes than every single Arsenal player pic.twitter.com/pVoTGfdwMS
— JB™️ (@gunnerpunner) February 3, 2019
https://twitter.com/rosentweets/status/1092125238429708289
https://twitter.com/esskert/status/1092119341586366464
With Manchester United defeating Leicester City 1-0 earlier in the day, Arsenal are now firmly in sixth.
Hello Arsenal fans ?♂️
— Aidan Walsh ? (@AidanWalshMUFC) February 3, 2019
https://twitter.com/W11zdom/status/1092124901476102144
Current mood. @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/JwZAMvc8UX
— Gar ? (@Gareth_Standing) February 3, 2019