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How Arsenal beat Manchester City three years ago ahead of Super Sunday clash

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Arsenal face Manchester City live on Sky Sports this Sunday - but they have not beaten one of their big five rivals on the road since they travelled to the Etihad nearly three years ago.

The Gunners claimed a memorable 2-0 win over the then reigning champions with an unfamiliar, defensively robust display at the Etihad in January 2015, having only 35 per cent possession, taking fewer shots and facing more at the other end.

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Nacho Monreal won a penalty for Arsenal mid-way through the first-half after Vincent Kompany blocked his run into the box, converted by Santi Cazorla, before Olivier Giroud secured victory with a 67th-minute header from a Cazorla free-kick.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 18: of Arsenal during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester
Image: Olivier Giroud doubled Arsenal's lead to secure a 2-0 win

The result was hailed as a potential eureka moment for Wenger, having approached a top-end opponent with effective, tactical caution.

The victory lifted his side into the top five of the table, proceeding to end the season in third, and prevented City from moving within two points of eventual champions Chelsea.

However, that 'eureka moment' proved to be fleeting. Since the start of 2014/15, Arsenal have lost nine, drawn seven and won once from 17 head-to-head league outings on the road against their big five rivals.

AWAY RECORD
Image: Arsenal have only won once away from home against their big five rivals since the start of 2014/15

We take a look at how Arsenal approached City three years ago, and whether there are lessons to be learned ahead of their Super Sunday clash...

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LINE-UPS AND TACTICS

Only one player that started for Arsenal three years ago has left the club: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

In contrast, seven of City's starters have been offloaded, including on-loan stopper Joe Hart - only Vincent Kompany, Fernandinho, David Silva and Sergio Aguero remain at the club. In addition, Pep Guardiola replaced Manuel Pellegrini at the helm in June last year.

MC 0-2 ARL FORMATION

Arsenal started with a 4-1-4-1 formation, setting their defensive stall against an attacking 4-2-3-1 City line-up and limited their opponents to four shots on target - taking only three themselves.

During the entire game, only three outfield City players had average positions in their own half: Martin Demichelis, Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta.

In stark contrast, only three Arsenal players averaged in the opposition's half: Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud.

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Image: Arsenal set up defensively against Manchester City in January 2015

Arsenal crowded the centre of the pitch and also concentrated activity down the left flank with full-back Nacho Monreal - who kept Kieran Gibbs out of the side - and Sanchez targeting Jesus Navas and Zabaleta.

Similarly, City's left-sided Clichy and James Milner looked to exploit Arsenal's right pairing Hector Bellerin and Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Ultimately, Monreal made the greatest impact of the wide players from either side, while Santi Cazorla was widely regarded as the man of the match for his performance in central midfield.

The approach was a deviation from Arsenal's attack-focused style and hinted at the possibility of setting up defensively when facing a team they cannot match like-for-like in attack.

Live Nissan Super Sunday

Since that game, City have recruited heavily and now have one of the most lethal attacks in Europe - scoring one from every two shots on target in the league this season, on average. So, once again, Arsenal will need to be organised defensively.

Interestingly, the Gunners still excel at the defensive stats that won them the game three years ago.

During that game, Arsenal recorded far superior numbers for blocking crosses, clearances, saves, headed clearances, interceptions, duels won, aerials won and dribbles.

This season, the Gunners have surpassed City in each of those stats on average - with the exception of dribbles.

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Image: Arsenal excelled defensively against Manchester City three years ago

Meanwhile, despite the big-money overhaul, City have recorded familiar domination this season for passing, possession, touches and shots.

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Image: Manchester City dominated possession, made more passes and took more shots than Arsenal

This season, Arsenal's most-used XI have recorded similar average positions to City's, in addition to strikingly similar levels of activity concentrations on the pitch.

Perhaps surprisingly, Bellerin has been the most advanced full-back, or wing-back, from either club, which has often filled the void vacated by Mesut Ozil drifting into a central role.

AVERAGE POSITIONS 2017/18
Image: This season, Manchester City's average positions are distributed evenly, while three Arsenal players appear to play in a similar area

Will Wenger look to brace the City storm and set up defensively, or will he attack the goal-scoring juggernaut with his own attacking style?

Watch Manchester City v Arsenal live on Sky Sports Premier League from 1pm on Sunday

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