Adebayor strikes twice as Arsenal sink Manchester City: English Premier League
Adebayor struck his 20th and 21st goals of the season as the Gunners notched up a 3-1 victory. The brilliant Tongo international opened the scoring on nine minutes before Eduardo made it 2-0 with a spectacular strike.
Gelson Fernanded pulled one back for the Sven Goran Eriksson’s men before half time but with Adebayor in such inspired form the result seemed inevitable.
Arsene Wenger recalled Jens Lehmann in goal with Manuel Almunia having being ruled out with a twisted thumb suffered in training, while opposite number Eriksson handed teenager Daniel Sturridge his first Premiership home start of the season following two goals in his last two outings.
Something had to give considering Arsenal had lost just once on their travels all season while City were aiming to protect their proud unbeaten home record in the Premiership.
The home side barely touched the ball in the opening minutes as Arsenal dominated possession and stroked passes around as if they were involved in a training exercise.
Despite this City could and should have taken the lead with their first attack of the game. Elano’s ball split the Arsenal defence and released Stephen Ireland, but he failed to control the ball with just Lehmann to beat.
The missed chance was to prove costly when Wenger’s men opened the scoring themselves in the ninth minute.
Martin Petrov lost possession in midfield and when Bacary Sagna was given time and space on the right flank he picked out Adebayor, who squeezed home a close range finish.
Eriksson’s side were living off scraps and their afternoon went from bad to worse in the 25th minute when Arsenal doubled their lead.
Gael Clichy delivered a deep cross to Adebayor, who rose above the flat-footed duo of Michael Ball and Richard Dunne to head back to the waiting Eduardo, who took the ball on his chest before delivering a spectacular overhead kick past Joe Hart and into the bottom corner.
Eriksson must have feared his side were about to crumble but just two minutes after Eduardo’s fourth league goal of the season they hit back to make the game a contest once again.
Vedran Corluka robbed Clichy in his own penalty area before pulling the ball back for the waiting Fernandes, who calmly buried his shot past Lehmann to leave Wenger fuming on the touchline.
It was the Swiss international’s second goal of the season and offered the home side some hope of an unlikely comeback, yet Arsenal looked capable of scoring almost at will and Hart, seen as a future England international, produced a stunning save to deny Adebayor on the half-hour mark.
Petrov had a good chance to equalise on the stroke of half time but dragged his shot wide from the edge of the penalty area as City began to grow in confidence.
Cesc Fabregas shot over from Adebayor’s pass when he should have hit the target as Arsenal made hard work of protecting their slender lead.
Eriksson introduced Darius Vassell in the hope of finding an extra spark and the former England international almost scored with his first touch. He chased down a searching pass from Dietmar Hamann but was just beaten to the ball by the on-rushing Lehmann.
Elano tried to convert the loose ball but failed to keep his shot down.
Fabregas saw a powerful drive fly inches wide before Adebayor had the final say with his second a minute from time.—AFP