Stylish City spoil Emery’s Arsenal bow

LONDON: Manchester City ruined the start of the Unai Emery era at Arsenal as the champions signalled their intent to retain the Premier League title with a stylish 2-0 win on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola’s side swept to the title last term with a record 100 points and they were quickly back in the groove at the Emirates Stadium.Raheem Sterling opened the scoring with a clinical finish early in the first half and Bernardo Silva’s thunderous strike capped a City success that served as a resounding warning to their title rivals.

No team has successfully defended the English title since Manchester United in 2008-09.But on the evidence of this composed display, City have every chance of emulating their rivals’ achievement.

Picking up where they left off last term, City had too much class for Arsenal and easily repelled the hosts’ few dangerous moments.City’s excellence underlined the size of the task facing new Arsenal boss Emery as the Gunners begin life without Arsene Wenger.

Guardiola started with Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane on the bench as he recalled Sterling and gave a Premier League debut to Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez, whose move from Leicester was Guardiola’s only major close-season signing.Having spent the dying embers of Wenger’s reign subjecting the Frenchman to vitriolic abuse, Arsenal’s fans were energised by the sight of Emery on the touchline.

But that noisy optimism was punctured in ruthless style by Sterling in the 14th minute.Taking possession on the left edge of the Arsenal area, Sterling glided past Hector Bellerin and Guendouzi before drilling a fierce shot that flashed past the unsighted Cech from 18 yards.

Arsenal finally threatened when Bellerin’s blast forced City goalkeeper Ederson to make a good stop.Arsenal still looked anxious and Cech almost scored a bizarre own goal when his miscued pass across the penalty area crept wide of his unguarded net.

Making amends for that blunder, Cech kept out a Mahrez free-kick before alertly recovering to block Aymeric Laporte’s effort from the rebound.Arsenal were pressing with more urgency than under Wenger, but City looked far more potent and Mahrez went close with a curling effort at the end of a rapid break.City responded in emphatic fashion and Silva wrapped up the points in the 64th minute.

Sterling and Mendy outnumbered Bellerin on the right, with the French defender’s cross picking out Silva, who cleverly peeled away from his marker Stephan Lichtsteiner to fire past the exposed Cech.