Player ratings: Arsenal v Manchester City

Given – The few saves he had to make, he made well until tragedy struck. Prior to that, the tendency to kick the ball into touch when trying to find Bellamy was annoying. 6

Bridge – Looked to be suffering early on and did well to contain Walcott before limping off. 7

Zabaleta – Considering Pablo hadn’t played for several weeks, this was an excellent showing. His willingness to get tight on opponents kept out Rosicky early on. A switch to left-back saw him keep Walcott under control. 7

Toure – Clearly relished his return to the Emirates. Outstanding in keeping the dangerous Van Persie under wraps, and covered for others when required. Kolo’s improved form reached a new level. 8

Kompany – Equally solid in the heart of the defence. None of the nervousness we saw against United, and took Walcott out with one superb tackle. 8

De Jong – The passing and movement of Arsenal’s midfield is a test for any defensive midfielder, and Nigel came through with flying colours. A key player against the better teams. 8

Barry – Another steady performance without anything spectacular. Alongside Vieira and de Jong, we needed Gareth to offer some creativity. None came. 6

Vieira – Stood up to Song and Diaby in the physical battle, but the passing made one wonder if he’d forgotten which side he was on. Looked to be labouring when taken off. 5

Johnson – Appeared to use up all his energy in tracking Clichy during the first half. When we started to attack there was nothing left in Adam’s tank. Wright-Phillips would have been a useful replacement had we not ran out of subs. 6

Bellamy – Plenty of industry and commitment in helping the team. The ball over the top for Craig to run on to has been sussed by opponents and we need to find better ways of utilising his attacking skills. 7

Tevez – No support in the first half, and wasn’t able to take the game to the opposition in the way he did against Chelsea. We need Carlos back to his best for the remaining games. 6

Subs:

Richards – Considering he was just back from injury, it was a surprise to see Micah come on ahead of Nedum. Slotted in well with a disciplined performance. 7

Adebayor – His arrival signalled the start of our attacking and he performed well. Held the ball up, showed a good touch, and stayed out of trouble. Playing with a smile and pigtails(!), Emanuel looked the striker most likely to win it for us – if only the others could have mustered some service. 7

Nielsen – A most unexpected debut. Looked calm and assured, particularly when flicking a cross over the bar. This could be a remarkable couple of weeks for the Faroe Islands reserve keeper. 7

Man of the match: Kolo Toure