Arsenal vs. Manchester City: Carling Cup Quarterfinal Live Blog
By on November 28, 2011
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Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
This can't be right, can it?
It's not even December yet. How can we have a cup quarterfinal already?
And for that matter, didn't Manchester City just play the other day? And Arsenal the day before that?
The answers? Afraid so. We just can. Yes and yes.
That's right. It's already time for the quarterfinals of the Carling Cup, and we've got a doozy for you—that is, if both teams play their best players.
Manchester City travels to Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. EST, and Fox Soccer Plus has coverage in the American market.
But don't count on seeing all the best players on the pitch. Arsene Wenger has already said he's worried about some of his players getting injured if they don't get a rest soon. Manchester City, meanwhile, has a squad built for multiple competitions—so we'll definitely see some of their non-regulars.
We'll fire up the ol' live blog around 2:30 p.m., so join us then.
90+4
Arshavin's shot is deflected into the hands of the goalie. That's gonna be it.
Full time: 1-0 Manchester City
There's the final whistle. Manchester City win with a goal against the run of play.
Arsenal had the better chances and most of the possession in the second half, but Manchester City had the finishing.
Arsenal still have the FA Cup and Champions League (and I guess the Premiership) but this had to be their best shot at silverware this year.
Will it be another year of frustration in North London? It's looking that way.
90+3: Arsenal chance!
Gervinho does well to cross. Chamakh throws himself at the ball, trying to get a head on it, but he misses by inches.
So close.
90+2
Arshavin takes a corner, and it sails directly to the keeper.
What a waste.
Fabianski, who had come up for the corner, has to win a challenge against Johnson in the midfield.
90th minute
Arshavin ruins an Arsenal possession with a poor touch.
He's really lost it.
Into stoppage time.
89th minute
Gervinho wins a corner for Arsenal.
Everyone comes forward. Vermaelen gets his head on it but can't control it.
Goal kick.
Time is running out on Arsenal.
87th minute
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain makes way for Arshavin. I don't like that move at all.
We'll see.
86th minute
Gervinho dances around the box on the right side then shoots way wide.
That was predictable. He can't shoot at all.
85th minute
Arsenal are in trouble now.
After that last substitution (Vermaelen), it's clear that Wenger wanted to hold onto what he had. Now the Gunners will have to chase the game after a moment of counter-attacking brilliance did them in.
84th minute: GOAL!
Manchester City scores out of nowhere! 1-0 and that might be it!
Sergio Aguero catches Arsenal out after a corner.
Dzeko starts the break with a long pass to Johnson, who touches back to Aguero.
Aguero's low shot easily beats Fabianski.
Wow!
83rd minute
Gervinho crosses to Benayoun, who almost gets a shot before Kolo Toure clears.
Nice work all around
79th minute
Dzeko rises highest to win a header in the Arsenal box, but he heads it way off target.
That was a waste.
Two subs:
Hargreaves is replaced by Abdul Razak for City. Vermaelen replaces Miquel for Arsenal.
75th minute
A sweeping Arsenal move leads to a corner after Kolo Toure puts the ball out of bounds.
Benayoun takes, but it's poor. It eventually bounces to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose bouncing shot is saved easily.
Can Arsenal create the winning goal here?
74th minute
Just about 15 minute left. Neither side look terribly likely to score.
Arsenal have had the better chances lately but City have played well in the back.
The match is delicately poised…
72nd minute
Gervinho shoots way, way high and wide from distance.
That won't earn him any praise from Arsenal fans.
68th minute
Arsenal almost carve out a chance with a good move. Park finds Benayoun on the left side. Benayoun dribbles into the middle and pulls back a pass for Chamakh, who shoots wildly wide.
It turns out to be Park's final touch. Moments later Gervinho replaces Park and receives a warm welcome from the crowd. Is that because Park was bad or because they want Gervinho? Probably the former.
65th minute
AOC and Chamakh can't quite link up. It looked like Chamakh was supposed to continue his run for a through ball.
The action has slowed down. Arsenal are readying a sub
60th minute
AOC pops a cross/shot over the bar. He's playing very, very well tonight.
Is a first-team breakthrough next?
57th minute: City half-chance
Savic frees Zabaleta down the left side. He crosses for Dzeko, who redirects just wide of the near post.
Good move from City.
54th minute
Adam Johnson's long, long ball finds Agüero in tons of space in a dangerous position near the Arsenal box.
The Argentine mis-controls the ball, though, and Arsenal takes over. Wasteful.
53rd minute
Owen Hargreaves earns a yellow card—the first of the night for either team—for pulling down Frimpong during an Arsenal counter.
He really doesn't have anything to complain about there, but he's complaining anyway.
51st minute
AOC produces two moments of great skill.
The first is a cross that the Man City keeper punches away under pressure.
The second is a rasping shot from the right side.
He's purring right now.
47th minute: Man City chance!
Edin Dzeko shoots from distance just wide of the Arsenal post.
Fabianski let it go, and for a second, it looked like he might pay for that. But the shot never did curl.
That probably got a few Arsenal fans' hearts pumping though.
46th minute
Arsenal kick off the second half.
If there are no goals here in the second half, we'll head to extra time.
Halftime
Almost time to get back under way.
Halftime: 0-0
There's the whistle. It's been a pretty even match. Manchester City have edged the possession, but Arsenal created some good chances.
It hasn't quite been exciting, but this match has been interesting.
Let's see what happens in the second half.
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