Arsenal slump to 67-year low as Man City thrash Gunners - 5 talking points

Arsenal were thrashed by Manchester City as the Gunners lost their first three matches of a league season for the first time since 1954.

Woeful defending from the visitors allowed Ilkay Gundogan in to open the scoring in the opening exchanges at the Etihad Stadium, before Ferran Torres stroked home a second after Cedric Soares had played him onside.

Granit Xhaka was then sent off for a lunge on Joao Cancelo to make Arsenal's task harder, before Gabriel Jesus poked home a third before the break.

Rodri curled home a fine effort for the fourth in the second half, with Torres adding his second late on.

Here are the game's talking points.

1. Who saw that coming? Oh yeah, everyone

Ilkay Gundogan had plenty of room to nod home to opener ( Image:

Getty Images)

It is sometimes the case that managers can make statements with their team selections that are almost as good as scoring a goal.

But is the same true for conceding one? Or more than one?

Arsenal have been hit with Covid and injury issues at the start of this season, and that is a factor that we have to take into consideration, but since when has starting with a defence including Sead Kolasinac, Cedric Soares, Rob Holding and Calum Chambers away at the Etihad done anything other than place an enormous target on your back?

At least three of those can't be considered good enough to play for a club who consider themselves as Arsenal do, but maybe that's part of the problem?

The club need to re-evaluate what they are, as do we.

2. Is there a drawing board on the drawing board?

The Gunners were blown away in the first half at the Etihad ( Image:

Action Images via Reuters)

That Arsenal seem to be perpetually in a crisis is partly down to outlets like ours.

The Gunners generate interest, and if they generate interest then we're going to write stories about them, and if we're going to write stories about them then (hopefully) people will read them.

One of the reasons for that is because, for many of us, Arsenal should still represent the old Arsenal that we knew, the title challengers and the genuinely thrilling sides that played under Arsene Wenger.

But they're not that and haven't been for a long time.

The Gunners continue to throw what was once good money after bad, but trapped below - well, well below - the top four as they are, they are shopping in different markets to the clubs they think, and we think, they should be rubbing shoulders with.

They are so far away from the elite now.

3. Granit Xhaka just does not... oh has anyone got the energy any more?

The Swiss was sent off with the scoreline at 2-0 ( Image:

AFP via Getty Images)

The Proper Football Men might try and pick holes in it, but when you leave the ground in the way that Xhaka did for his challenge on Cancelo then you really are dishing out an invitation to the referee that looks as enticing as an Arteta back five when you're the opposition.

It was daft, it was brainless.

And yeah we've seen it too many times.

4. The obligatory point about City's depth

Gabriel Jesus was on the scoresheet for City again ( Image:

Offside via Getty Images)

Jesus got an assist and a goal, Torres got an assist and two goals, Jack Grealish got an assist, Bernardo Silva got almost an hour, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez got some second half minutes, and Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden weren't even anywhere near the pitch.

This is the bit where we're supposed to say: Who needs Harry Kane or Cristiano Ronaldo, eh?

Well City thought they did, clearly, but while that lack of a major front line centre-forward might still come back to haunt them at some point of the season, it was never likely to do so here.

Indeed, this was another afternoon when the performances of the likes of Jesus and Silva made you question just why they have seemed to be willing to let them go this summer.

5. Man City are table toppers

Rodri grabbed City's fourth goal ( Image:

REUTERS)

Two weeks on from their opening weekend defeat at Tottenham, Manchester City went top of the Premier League having scored nine goals and conceded none in their last two games.

Circumstances, opponents and the timing of fixtures have something to do with that of course, but if Liverpool and Chelsea needed an extra reminder of what they're up against ahead of their meeting at Anfield on Saturday evening then they certainly had one here.

Last season it was City's emergence from the pack and mastery of pandemic football which allowed them to stroll to the title, but you get the sense that this time around it will be more of a normal race, at least recently normal anyway.

City's 2017-18 and 2018-19 title wins were all about starting quickly and streaking away, as was Liverpool's in 2019-20.

Considering this performance a warning served.