Audio By Carbonatix
Arsenal's David Luiz was sent off in a performance riddled with mistakes as Manchester City secured a comfortable victory behind closed doors on the first night of the Premier League's return.
Luiz, who came on as a first-half substitute, failed to clear the ball just before half-time and Raheem Sterling fired in City's opener.
The defender was then sent off after pulling back Riyad Mahrez in the second half to give away a penalty, which Kevin de Bruyne coolly slotted in for City's second.
Substitute Phil Foden netted a third for the defending champions, capitalising on a rebound from Sergio Aguero's strike.
There was concern for City late on as Eric Garcia needed several minutes of treatment on the pitch after a nasty collision with goalkeeper Ederson, and was carried off on a stretcher.
Arsenal were second best throughout as manager Mikel Arteta left Alexandre Lacazette on the bench and Mesut Ozil was kept out of the extended 20-man squad.
There were bursts of energy from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Eddie Nketiah going forward in the first half but it was City who were more dangerous.
De Bruyne, Sterling and David Silva were all denied by Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno, who produced an impressive display, but it seemed inevitable City would move ahead when Luiz's mistake gifted Sterling a chance from close range.
Victory for Pep Guardiola's side means league leaders Liverpool remain six points away from winning the title - writing off any potential celebrations in Sunday's Merseyside derby.
On an evening in which thousands tuned in to watch a new-look Premier League on their TV screens, players from both clubs used their platform to support the Black Lives Matter movement for racial equality.
All players and staff took a knee immediately before kick-off, mirroring the actions of those at Villa Park in the earlier match, and the words 'Black Lives Matter' replaced players' names on the back of their shirts.
Latest Stories
-
‘Where is the presumption of innocence?’ – Tuah-Yeboah on Partey visa refusal
2 minutes -
GFA President and Ambassador Smith meet top police command in Providence ahead of Ghana’s World Cup opener
19 minutes -
Nothing stops OSP from pursuing Ghana case despite Ofori-Atta’s permanent residency request – Tuah-Yeboah
22 minutes -
Thousands of Ghanaian pupils attend schools near toxic sites, study finds
22 minutes -
Say no to single life
32 minutes -
Accra Institute of Technology matriculates students for 2025/2026 academic year
36 minutes -
Foresters demand arrest and prosecution after violent attack on Babatokuma Forestry Commission checkpoint
39 minutes -
GoldBod, Armed Forces and Forestry Commission launch national land reclamation project
40 minutes -
Ghana Boundary Commission launches African Border Day activities with water project in Bawku West
48 minutes -
Mfantsiman Old Girls’ Association to hold nationwide health walk on June 27
49 minutes -
Ghana, Burkina Faso launch fresh push to reaffirm shared border
58 minutes -
Ghana urged to use data science, AI to solve Ghana’s perennial flooding problem
58 minutes -
Musk’s SpaceX buys AI coding start-up for $60bn days after IPO
1 hour -
Sandy Asare celebrates God’s grace in new single ‘Ɛyɛ Awurade’
1 hour -
Kennedy Agyapong chides NPP for faiing to complete Afari Military Hospital after eight years in office
1 hour