what the papers say

Papers look back at Saturday's showing

The Daily Telegraph look at Saturday's fine win...

'Arsenal misery compounded by rampant Manchester City'

Manchester City (1) 3 Arsenal (0) 0

For the first time in Arsene Wenger’s long and distinguished career as manager of this club, Arsenal are slipping into disarray. The captain, William Gallas, has been stripped of his role and dropped for exposing a dressing room divided, and for the second week running they were comprehensively outplayed by a club that want to take Arsenal’s position in the food chain.

Manchester City could, should, have had four or five and on the long drive back down the M6, Wenger will have been agonising over how to rescue a season that has descended into farce over the last week.

“We have to try to win the next one and not set targets that don’t look immediately reachable,” he said, conceding in euphemism that the crisis of the moment has effectively ended any chances of competing for the title. “In a strong team at a strong club you sometimes go through these periods and it is how we deal with that situation that will make our future.”

The last thing Arsenal had needed was to go into this game without their big players. Cesc Fabregas, surely the captain-elect, was suspended and Emmanuel Adebayor returned from international duty with Togo carrying and injury. What with Bacary Sagna and Kolo Toure also injured it was always going to be difficult defensively. Still it was surprising to see how easily City carved them up, with the huge error count increasing the pressure.

It was calamitous defending that gifted City the lead. Benjani passed to Stephen Ireland who was running into a seeming cul-de-sac. However, Johan Djourou’s attempted tackle was tame and the ball ran loose to Gael Clichy who, with Pablo Zabaleta and Mikael Silvestre closing, sliced the clearance straight back to Ireland. The City midfielder trapped the ball and dinked the ball into the net for his seventh goal of an already impressive season.

It was little surprise then that City emerged with a swagger from the break and they were soon two goals to the good. Shaun Wright-Phillips tenaciously robbed Robin van Persie of the ball and carried it forward. Still buzzing from his impressive display for England in the week, Wright-Phillips effortlessly slid the ball into the right channel for Robinho. The Brazilian finished with style, lobbing the advancing Manuel Almunia.

Wenger reacted by pulling off right-back Gavin Hoyte and sending on Aaron Ramsey. That made Arsenal look even more vulnerable and it defied belief that it took so long for City to get their third.

Robinho had a goal ruled offside when he looked level, flicking the ball over the line after Ireland’s shot had been blocked. Moments later he was put clean through by Elano, took the ball round Almunia but could not squeeze the ball past Djourou on the line. Fortunately for Arsenal, Robinho seemed to twist his ankle in making that shot and walked off gingerly.

Benjani, who had missed the ball completely when Almunia’s parry invited a goal, was replaced Daniel Sturridge and the academy product almost immediately won a penalty. He scooted past Djourou on the byline and the Swiss pulled him down. Sturridge stepped up and converted his own penalty with aplomb.

This was a big result for City, who had won one in eight. Manager Mark Hughes has exerted himself on dressing-room egos by dropping Elano and was delighted by the way his side had rediscovered their early-season verve. “This was a significant victory for us and we were good value for it,” Hughes said. “We wanted to break up the rhythm of Arsenal’s play and I thought we did that. We scored at a key time.”

With January looming, the anticipation of which transfers Sheikh Mansour is going to finance is growing. Gianluigi Buffon, the Juventus and Italy goalkeeper, has been suggested as one possible arrival, for a possible world-record fee. With performances like this, he might not need to spend as heavily as he thought.

Arsenal need investment though. They had little to offer going forward. It was a sign of how desperate they had become that Van Persie was reduced to flicking the ball away from Joe Hart as he kicked from hand. The Dutchman tucked the ball into the empty net surely in full knowledge that he had infringed both the laws and the spirit of the game.

The Mirror tell us...

'Manchester City were not flattered by Arsenal win, says Mark Hughes'

Barclays Premier League: Man City 3-0 Arsenal

Mark Hughes hailed Robinho's latest wonder strike and laughed off Arsene Wenger's cheap jibe that the 3-0 scoreline was "flattering" for Manchester City.

Robinho notched his ninth goal in 14 games for City since his £32.75m move from Real Madrid. And afterwards Sparky praised Robinho, not just for his artistry and eye for goal but for his impressive work-rate.

"He needs to get credit for the amount of work he does for the team," said Hughes.

"Given the week he's had, with the amount of travelling he's done with Brazil, he could have put his hand up at half-time and said 'listen boss, I'm absolutely knack but he's not prepared to do that.

"He only got back from Brazil late on Friday and didn't train. But he put his stint in and that's what you have to do in the Premier League.

"Once again he put in a fantastic performance. Everyone would have enjoyed watching the finish for his goal. He's a great player, one of the few in football who gets you out of your seat."

When told Wenger had said the result flattered City, Hughes said: "Oh he did, did he? I think he's being a little bit ungracious there. We created six or seven opportunities in the game, Arsenal created one.

"Five defeats makes it very difficult for them to win the title."

And finally, after being dampened down by Manager Mark Hughes himself in the summer, rumours have resurfaced linking Colin Kazim-Richards with a move back to England courtesy of the Daily Mirror...

'Manchester City target Colin Kazim-Richards desperate for Premier League return'

Colin Kazim-Richards insists he is ready for a return to the Premier League and that he has shed his reputation as a bad boy.

Sunderland, Hull and Manchester City are among five Premier League teams leading the chase to sign the £4million-rated winger in the January transfer window.

The 22-year-old, who signed for Fenerbahce 18 months ago from Sheffield United, has conjured up some eye-catching displays, particularly in the Champions League and Euro 2008.

And he believes his sojourn on the Continent has added a maturity to his game and personality that was maybe absent during his early playing days in England where he clashed with Brighton boss Mark McGhee.

Kazim-Richards said: "A lot of people had question marks over me in England because rumours were spread in football I was a bad apple following my time at Brighton.

"I had a problem with Mark McGhee there and the Press seized on that and it seemed to follow me wherever I went.

"But if I was a troublemaker, why would Fenerbahce have signed me?

They are maybe in the top five best-supported teams in the world.

"They have shown they can get some of the world's best. They wouldn't waste their time if I was trouble," added Kazim-Richards.

"I come from east London and if people have a go, you have a go back. But I've played in the Champions League against Arsenal and Chelsea and also in the Euros.

"I don't think there is a doubt that I'm a better player since leaving England. I'd love to come back and show people what I can do."