Jack Wilshere shows he's up for the fight as the Arsenal midfielder finally delivers a performance to match his great potential 

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From the highest tier of the Emirates grandstand hangs a banner which bears the message: ‘You Can’t Buy Class’. It is an excellent expression of the Arsenal ethos but, as this tremendous contest graphically revealed, it ain’t necessarily so.

For wherever we turned on a field awash with talent, we found footballers who had been acquired at great cost, whose gifts seemed to justify the investment.

City, built upon the bountiful resources of Sheik Mansour, presented a series of jewels in Sergio Aguero, David Silva, the mightily impressive Vincent Kompany and Jesus Navas. Arsenal, blessed by the favours of an American billionaire, offered their own gems in Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, the debutant Danny Welbeck... and Jack Wilshere.

Jack Wilshere put in a grandstand display in midfielder for Arsenal against Manchester City

The England international scored one and assisted one as the game finished 2-2 at the Emirates Stadium

Wilshere's first was a superb dink over Man City goalkeeper Joe Hart to level the scores at 1-1

Of that starry cast, only Wilshere had joined his club without the formality of millions changing hands. And yet, so great was his influence, that there were times when he seemed capable of organising the entire glittering ensemble to his own requirements.

Wilshere, who arrived at Arsenal as a nine-year-old some 13 years ago, delivered the kind of performance for which his public had been praying.

His ceaseless commitment was an almost mundane virtue, since even limited players can provide lashings of honest endeavour. 

But to that industry he added the qualities which make him remarkable: the speed of thought which takes him into dangerous space, the tight control which transforms vague danger into urgent threat, above all, the ability to assess a bewildering situation and apply the appropriate pass. It is a quality which only the exceptional performers possess.

There was also the maturity which enabled him to accept some fierce challenges and remain resolutely unprovoked. He has not always revealed such control, and his hair-trigger temper has frequently undermined his contribution to the cause. Too often he played like a man who has been listening to bad advice. 

Sergio Aguero celebrates with David Silva after opening the scoring for Manchester City

And Alexis Sanchez reels away in style after he thought he'd given Arsenal the winner late on

But a late Martin Demichelis header levelled the scores at 2-2 and resulted in game being drawn

When Paul Scholes observed that Wilshere was not the player he had promised to become, that he had not made significant improvement in the past five years, the Arsenal man was affronted by the criticism. But Scholes was right, his strictures were timely, and yesterday the genuine article shone through.

His manager, Arsene Wenger, had many reasons for satisfaction; among them the fact that Arsenal had taken a point from a match they could, and possibly should, have lost. But clearly it was the display of Wilshere’s real ability which had given him most pleasure.

‘He is coming physically to his level,’ said Wenger. ‘Unfortunately, it has taken him time to find that fraction of a second where you feel you can make a difference. It was the first time this season he found it over 90 minutes.’

He might have gone further, but we sensed he was tempting fate with his praise. He has known too many false dawns where Wilshere is concerned to be carried away by one minor masterpiece. But his face told the tale more convincingly than his words.

Wilshere’s goal was the kind of accomplishment which only the best players can manage. For once, all the Arsenal passing came together as the ball was worked through the centre of the City defence. 

When the final ball was played by Aaron Ramsey, Wilshere still had much to do. But he deceived Gael Clichy with a shuffle of feet, bore down on the keeper, and played his chip into the only space available. 

Paul Scholes had been critical of Wilshere before the game but praised for him afterwards

And Arsene Wenger was also pleased with the display of his much-scrutinised midfielder

His contribution to Arenal’s second was almost as decisive. Discovering space on the fringe of the City area, he stole the swiftest of glances, forced some essential pace on a difficult header and found Sanchez. 

The new man’s volley was sumptuous, a piece of instinctive skill which almost validated his monstrous fee, but Wilshere’s assistance had been crucial to the score, and his glee was gratifying.

Man City raised their own level of performance to impressive heights, and with a nudge from fortune and the barest glimmer of basic competence from the referee Mark Clattenburg, they would have found reward. 

When they are good, they are very, very good, and at times they were close to their best. But their most formidable foe was the small, stocky young man in Arsenal’s midfield; up for the fight, ready to answer skill with skill, aggression with sheer ability.

Once again, Wenger’s face told the story. He looked remarkably like a gambler for whom the horse had run kindly, the wheel had spun truly. On a different day, he might have settled for a small eulogy of the excellent Welbeck, who announced himself with a smooth insertion of pace and the kind of technique which allowed him to chip Hart in full stride. 

Danny Welbeck was lively on his debut for Arsenal following his £16million switch from Manchester United

But he missed a gilt-edged first half opportunity when he hit the post after electing to chip Hart

Had the chance not bounced off the inside of a post, the Emirates din would have been still more clamorous. But Welbeck’s speed and presence offered Wilshere the target he has been seeking, and the promise is of a profitable alliance.

The last word on Wilshere was spoken by his most perceptive critic. ‘That’s the kind of midfielder I always thought he was going to be, an attacking midfielder,’ said Scholes. Then because his nature is cautious and his attitude that of a hard-nosed old pro, he sounded the mandatory note of caution. 

‘It’s still early in the season,’ he said. ‘That’s his first goal, and time will tell. What he’s done is make a great start, and now he’s got the base to go on and have a great season.’

It was as close as Scholes gets to effusive acclaim. And I suspect Jack Wilshere will settle for that.