Goalless draw keeps Arsenal in third

Arsenal drew 0-0 with Manchester City on Wednesday night as the Gunners looked to overtake City. Arsenal created plenty of chances, hitting the post 3 times but Joe Hart was at his best as the Gunners failed to take use of the chances they had. However the game ended on a sour note as Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta were shown straight red cards for head butting each other. The Gunners named an unchanged side as Walcott and Djourou were once again preferred to Arshavin and Squillaci. Man City had one notable change as Jo came in for the injured Spanish international David Silva. Kolo Toure played in the centre of defence against his old team and Vieira was an unused sub as he returned to the Gunners.

In the first opening minutes of the game Arsenal had a glorious chance to take the lead. Nasri finding Wilshere who fired the ball across the box towards Van Persie. The Dutch man could not get contact to the ball as he slid across the six yard box to try and put the Gunners ahead.

At the end of that attack Man City broke forward with Yaya Toure. He found Milner to his right who found time to shoot but he fired harmlessly wide.

Wilshere then had an opportunity to put the hosts in front. He dribbled past De Jong with ease before smashing an effort straight at Hart which was too hot to handle. He spilt it but managed to pounce on the ball before Van Persie could get to it.

Van Persie was the next man to fire a shot at Hart's goal. He managed to turn Toure and then hit an effort towards goal. Hart was nowhere near the shot as the post came to the rescue and the score somehow remained 0-0.

Arsenal were creating lots of chances and the latest one fell to Wilshere. Fabregas finding Wilshere in a scramble who hit the shot first time but again the England number one kept the Gunners at bay.

Arsenal then hit the post for the second and then a third time. Nasri finding Fabregas on the edge of the box who thundered an effort which crashed onto the post. The ball came back out to Walcott who sent another shot against the post.

As the first half closed in Man City managed to work themselves a chance. Jo looping a ball over the defence and into the path of Tevez who couldn't control his shot and the ball went over the bar.

The score at half time was somehow still 0-0.

The second half didn't mean Arsenal stopped creating chances. Van Persie almost beat Hart at his near post after Fabregas chipped the ball through to him but he fired his shot into the side netting.

Hart then had to make a fantastic save from Van Persie. The England goal keeper was at full stretch to keep Van Persie's effort out which was let fly from outside the box.

In the last minute of the game there were two sending offs. Zabaleta pushing Sagna out of play who immediately got up and the two defenders locked heads. The inevitable happened and both of them were sent off.

The final score ended Arsenal 0-0 Manchester City.

The teams lineups:

Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy, Walcott(69), Nasri, Fabregas, Wilshere(81), Song, Van Persie.
Subs: Szczesny, Squillaci, Arshavin(69), Denilson, Rosicky, Chamakh, Bendtner(81).

Manchester City: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Kolo Toure, Zabaleta, Milner, Yaya Toure, Barry, De Jong, Jo(64), Tevez(90).
Subs: Given, Bridge, Boateng(90), Lescott, Wright-Phillps, Johnson(64), Vieira.

My man of the match: Robin Van Persie

Referee: Mike Jones
Attendance: 60,085