City lay down clear marker

Manchester City 4, Arsenal 2

ARSENAL striker Robin van Persie’s accusation that former team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor deliberately stamped on his face put a sinister slant on an enthralling clash at Eastlands.

The tall striker – later the scorer of Manchester City’s third in a turbo-charged second half — appeared to drag his studs down the Dutchman’s face following a crude challenge from behind.

Referee Mark Clattenburg failed to spot the incident at the time, but an FA ban on Adebayor after reviewing the video evidence now seems likely.

“I do feel lucky that I have not suffered a greater injury,” said Van Persie in a statement on Arsenal’s official website, referring to the incident that came at a time when the game was poised at 1-1 but with the visitors well on top.

“The contact was only centimetres from my eye. I have not received an apology from him, there were no words exchanged afterwards. He had his own agenda today and that is bad for football. It’s bad for the game we all love.”

Unsavoury incidents aside – Adebayor later apologised for his actions in sprinting the length of the field after putting away his smart header, sliding on his knees in front of a set of enraged Arsenal fans – this is a game that should be remembered as providing evidence that City’s top-four ambitions should be taken very seriously.

Solid at the back and with protector in chief Nigel de Jong doing a manful job at the base of midfield, City’s potent counter-attacking football was too quick and too clinical for Arsene Wenger’s men to cope with. It is now four wins from as many played for a far happier opposite number Mark Hughes.

The introduction of Thomas Rosicky on 52 minutes had seemed to tilt the clash the way of the visitors.

A goal down thanks to goalkeeper Manuel Almunia putting in his own net, Van Persie twisted in riding a challenge from Joleon Lescott on the edge of the area before firing home a low right-footed shot past Shay Given just after the hour.

Then came the unsavoury intervention of the fired-up Adebayor’s boot, which was followed up by an extraordinary three-goal burst in the space of only 10 minutes from inspired City, playing in front of a record 47,339 crowd.

First Micah Richards – creator of the first goal with a terrific header which Almunia tipped against the post before the ball rebounded into the net off the back of his head on 20 minutes – surged down the right before cutting inside and rolling the ball into the path of the unmarked Craig Bellamy, who dispatched with minimum fuss to put City ahead.

The advantage was nearly increased two minutes later as Adebayor beat four men in a sensational sashay down the left wing, pulling back for Shaun Wright-Phillips to side-foot just past the post.

Then came Adebayor’s headed goal from the middle of the area off a pinpoint Wright-Phillips cross. The inflammatory manner of his celebration landed him a yellow card.

City couldn’t be repressed though. Bellamy, surging down centre-field on the break, soon slipped Wright-Phillips in to dink over the top of Almunia.

And a late Rosicky goal provided little consolation for Arsenal, who also struck a post late on through Van Persie.

“Who knows how significant this result will be,” said delighted Hughes. “But there was some fantastic football from both sides and Emmanuel was outstanding.

“I haven’t seen the (Adebayor) incident with Van Persie but we don’t want it to cast a shadow over what has been a marvellous game.

“He’s an emotional guy and he’s apologised very quickly for running to the fans.”