Arsenal 2 City 1
Report by Colin Hall
A header by Danny Welbeck in the fifth minute of stoppage time condemned Premier League leaders Leicester City to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Arsenal at the Emirates.
While defeats on Arsenal territory are nothing new – this was the 14th in our last 15 league trips there – this one was particularly difficult to digest, given the manner in which it was inflicted and the self-inflicted errors which deprived us of a victory.
After three successive victories it was no surprise that Claudio Ranieri retained an unchanged line-up, although his Arsenal counterpart made two changes, Mertesacker and Coquelin replacing Gabriel and Flamini respectively.
At kick-off time, this correspondent stayed in the concourse, heeding the request by some fans' groups to register a protest at our treatment by Sky and the league. Sadly, the impact of this action was somewhat limited, although several anti-Sky chants were heard in the visiting area during the course of the game.
I eventually took my seat just in time to see Sanchez send a corner narrowly wide. It would not be the last occasion where a set piece would cause problems for the Foxes defence.
Shortly afterwards, Giroud, flagged for an infringement by the main stand linesman, sprinted 30 yards – by some way his quickest speed of the afternoon – to remonstrate with the official. Such a tantrum, shamefully unpunished by referee Atkinson, was to set the tone for many of the game's subsequent events.
In a first half which was frenetic even by this league's standards, Kasper Schmeichel had to rush way outside his area to deny Ramsey. Moments later, Marc Albrighton delivered a superb cross onto the head of Jamie Vardy, but the striker could only direct the ball straight at Cech in the home goal.
Fears that the visitors may prove to be overawed by either the occasion or the surroundings proved largely unfounded. Indeed, N'golo Kante gave a veritable masterclass in midfield during the first half, earning deserved praise from many watching pundits and proving himself every bit the equal of his more illustrious opponents. Only an excellent save from Cech prevented the Frenchman from capping his display with a goal.
But the veteran keeper could do nothing to stop the Foxes from going in front in the final minute of the half.
After Kante had been floored by a horrendously-reckless lunge by Koscielny – which less lenient referees might easily have punished with a red card rather than a yellow one – referee Atkinson played an advantage on seeing that City had kept possession.
The ball ran to Vardy, who induced an injudicious challenge inside the penalty area by Monreal which was judged worthy of both a penalty and another Arsenal booking. The prolific Foxes marksman, restored to spot-kick duties in place of Riyad Mahrez, sent Cech the wrong way from 12 yards for his 19th league goal of the season. The goal sparked ecstatic scenes among the City contingent and a somewhat more indignant reaction from the home stands.
The hosts were predictably fired up after the restart and Ramsey sent a drive just past Schmeichel's post.
Then followed the most crucial incident of the game – and potentially, the entire league season – as Mahrez fell to the ground in the Arsenal area after another wild challenge by Monreal that could easily have earned the home defender a second booking. On this occasion, though, both referee and linesman decided that no contact had been made – a judgement that television cameras notably did not vindicate.
As the gunners saw their title hopes fading away, they resorted to a Plan B – in which their players chose to niggle, spoil and provoke at every opportunity. Unfortunately, Danny Simpson succumbed to such pressure, earning two yellow cards in rapid succession for imprudent tackles on Sanchez and Giroud.
This dismissal changed the balance of the match, as a depleted City were pushed onto the back foot and would remain there for the rest of the game. With Kante also collecting a yellow card, his influence on the game began to diminish.
Despite stoic resistance from the visiting defence, a lengthy passing move by the home side eventually produced the equaliser with 20 minutes remaining. Giroud headed a Bellerin cross into the path of Walcott, and the substitute's fierce drive gave Schmeichel no chance.
Although Vardy was now largely an isolated figure in attack, he was still capable of posing a threat. Indeed, a move involving him and Kante almost restored the visitors' lead, only for the midfielder's angled shot to fly just wide of the far post.
The home onslaught became more frenzied in the closing stages, with Schmeichel, in one of his best-ever performances in a Leicester shirt, denying Giroud, Welbeck and Sanchez,
But just when the Foxes thought they had done enough to hold on for a crucial point, another rash moment proved to be costly. In the final seconds of stoppage time, Monreal overhit a through ball out of play, only for Wasilewski to catch him with a needless challenge.
The free-kick was duly awarded, Ozil sent it into the six-yard box and Welbeck, making his first appearance of the season, was the first to react sending a glancing header into the net to give his side victory. The previously-dormant home crowd erupted and Welbeck's team-mates reacted as if he had won them the Champions League.
However, while City and the vociferous travelling hordes were understandably devastated by this turn of events, the reality is that the destiny of the Premier League title remains firmly in our hands.
League tables tell no lies. This side are top of the league on merit and if it continues this level of performance throughout the remainder of the season, it will stay there.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Cech; Bellerin, Koscielny (Chambers 46), Mertesacker (c), Monreal; Coquelin (Walcott 61), Ramsey; Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Welbeck 83), Sanchez; Giroud. Subs not used: Ospina, Flamini, Elneny, Campbell
Goals: Walcott 70, Welbeck 90 + 5.
Booked: Koscielny, Coquelin, Ramsey, Welbeck.
City (4-4-2): Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan (c), Huth, Fuchs; Mahrez (Wasilewski 58), Drinkwater, Kanté, Albrighton (King 82); Okazaki (Gray 61), Vardy. Subs not used: Schwarzer, Chilwell, Dyer, Ulloa.
Booked: Fuchs, Kante, Wasilewski. Sent off: Simpson.
Goal: Vardy (pen) 45
Attendance: 60,009 Referee: Martin Atkinson
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation