Wenger wants Ettihad triumph to be the benchmark

Cazorla, Giroud on target as Arsenal win 2-0 away at City

MANCHESTER: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said that his side have established a benchmark for the rest of their season after recording an impressive 2-0 victory at Manchester City.

Santi Cazorla scored from the penalty spot and set up Olivier Giroud for a 67th-minute header on Sunday as Arsenal registered a first away win against a team defending the Premier League title since May 2002.

As well as leaving City five points adrift of leaders Chelsea in the title race, the result took Arsenal to within a point of the Champions League places and Wenger called on his players to build on their display. “The five months in front of us are very important in the lifespan of the team,” he said. “What you make of that will of course decide our season.”

Cazorla's performance earned him accolades from several quarters, with Aaron Ramsey describing him as ‘different class’ and Gunners legend Thierry Henry calling him ‘amazing’. The manager was also full of praise for the Spaniard, especially since he has started playing more centrally.

"I think now he's at a level of his career where centrally he can have more influence," said Wenger. “He is fantastic because he gets you out of pressure in very tight situations and finds openings.”

Arsenal were dealt some humiliating away defeats last season, losing 6-3 at City, 5-1 at Liverpool and 6-0 at Chelsea in Wenger's 1,000th game at the club, but defended with discipline and resilience to keep a clean sheet on Sunday.

Meanwhile, City manager Manuel Pellegrini was left to rue the moment mid-way through the first half when fit-again captain Vincent Kompany conceded a penalty by stepping across the path of Arsenal left-back Nacho Monreal.

“I think it was not a penalty,” said the Chilean. “The movement of Vincent was unnecessary. We were nervous after the goal. But I don't want to have the excuse that the referee whistled for Arsenal.”

Pellegrini attributed City's defeat to an absence of invention in possession and called for an improvement ahead of his side's showdown against Chelsea on January 31.

“The game we must play at Stamford Bridge is a very important game,” he said. “We must close the gap again to two points. We'll see in that game what will happen, but I hope that we are going to recover the way we are playing so far, except this game.

 

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