Happy days for City

MANCHESTER City manager Pep Guardiola reckons there is plenty more festive cheer to come following the dramatic fightback win over Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.

The 2-1 victory was only the Blues' second at home in three months in the Premier League.

They seemed lethargic in the first half, but showed greater intensity after the break to claim a victory that lifted them to second in the table.

Theo Walcott's early goal had City on the back foot, but a second-half showing packed full of power, purpose and precision - and goals from Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling - wrestled the points back.

Guardiola pointed to three good reasons why there are more grounds for optimism.

CREATING

He said: "Okay, now Fernandinho is coming back, in another week Sergio (Aguero) will return, then Gabriel Jesus - and we will try to keep creating more and more."

City dominated the play against Arsenal, even if the they did look lively on the counter, with Sterling seeing one early header flashing wide.

Guardiola made a slight tactical tweak at the break and City were level straight after the restart, Sane latching onto a David Silva through-ball to race clear and finish.

Kevin De Bruyne came up with an early contender for assist of the season, with his sweeping ball finding Sterling, who still had plenty to do before lashing a left-foot shot in.

Guardiola added: "It means a lot to beat one of the best teams in the Premier League.

"The performance was quite similar to against Chelsea, then we created more chances.

"We were unlucky in the first minutes - it was a good game, we dominated.

"The victory gives a lot of confidence for the minds of the players, in what we are trying to do.

HAPPY

"I'm so happy for the fans - they stayed until the end, they were with us, that means we have to play good and they will stay with us.

"It's three points, eight days to recover for Hull and Liverpool."

City replaced the hard-working Pablo Zabaleta at half-time, with it later emerging the right-back had suffered a knee injury it is hoped is not too serious.