Arsenal vs. Manchester City: 10 Moments That Drove Citizens Fans to Drink

A very late goal from Arsenal's Mikel Arteta essentially ended Manchester City's title hopes on Sunday. The Gunners 1-0 win opened the gap between first and second to a whopping eight points with only six games remaining.

Mario Balotelli's horror challenge on Alex Song and his sending off in the 90th minute provided many of the post-game talking points, but Arsenal were dominant throughout the vast majority of the match.

Those are the highlights, but we're going deeper. These are the 10 moments when an inch this way or an inch that way could have kept Manchester City's argument for the championship alive for another week.

Yaya Toure's Injury

Just ten minutes into the match, Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure came up lame following a knee-to-knee collision with Arsenal's Alex Song.

Toure tried to soldier on, but could only hobble around the pitch for another five minutes before being withdrawn from the match.

With David Silva already sidelined, City's midfield would prove significantly understaffed without the towering Ivorian.

City Calls on Vermaelen to Make a Save

When the other team's center-back is the only one keeping the ball out of your net, something's gone horribly awry.

That was the case in the 16th minute as an Arsenal corner kick found Robin van Persie in the center of goal. Van Persie headed toward a gaping net only for a crashing Thomas Vermaelen to get in the way and deflect the ball up onto the crossbar.

It didn't show on the score-sheet, but the moment surely registered on the bar tabs of watching City fans.

Mario Balotelli's Great Escape

Twenty minutes into the game and City were lucky not to go down a man.

Mario Balotelli let a heavy first touch get away from him and lunged in with a horrific studs up challenge as he raced Alex Song to the ball. Balotelli's boot crashed down into the knee of Song and the Arsenal man crumpled to the ground.

Miraculously, referee Martin Atkinson saw nothing wrong and his whistle remained silent. If nothing else, a toast to Atkinson's health was in order from Citizens everywhere.

Mario Balotelli Wastes an Opportunity

Just a few minutes after escaping from his challenge on Song unpunished, Mario Balotelli had a golden opportunity to put City in front.

On a City corner, the Italian shook his way free in the center of the area. The kick found him, but Balotelli mishit his shot and watched the weak roller blocked out by Arsenal's defense.

Wojciech Szczesny Frustrates City

Thirty-five minutes into the match and City midfielder David Pizarro came within a hair's breadth of unlocking Arsenal.

PIzarro's long ball over the top found the perfect run from Mario Balotelli. Arsenal's defense was beaten, but their goalkeeper was quick off his line.

As Balotelli closed on the pass, Wojciech Szczesny sprinted from goal and intervened at the last moment, kicking clear.

Sergio Aguero and Pablo Zabaleta Get in Each Other's Way

Sergio Aguero was virtually invisible against Arsenal, so we could be charitable and say that Pablo Zabaleta got in his way in the 53rd minute.

Samir Nasri played a lovely chipped ball over the top of the Arsenal defense. Aguero and Zabaleta both charged in for the free header. The two men collided, the chance went fluttering into the air and Arsenal's keeper gratefully tipped it over the bar.

Mario Balotelli Misses the Spectacular

As the match neared the seventy-minute mark, Vincent Kompany headed a free kick back across the face of the Arsenal goal.

Mario Balotelli did everything he could to reach the ball as it fell behind him. The striker threw himself at the ball, going for the spectacular bicycle kick.

As Citizens sucked in their breath, the ball just eluded Balotelli and the spectacular turned to dust.

Joe Hart Thanks the Heavens

Fifteen minutes left and despite constant pressure, Arsenal still had yet to score. That's when the angels intervened on City's behalf.

Arsenal's Bacary Sagna pulled a ball back to Theo Walcott who was free in the area. Walcott turned the pass toward goal and Joe Hart could only push it onto the post.

As the ball rebounded and Hart scrambled helplessly, Vermaelen dove in and mishit his follow-up from a yard out. The shot hit Yossi Benayoun in the stomach before trickling around the far post and out.

If there had been a bartender on hand, Hart would have ordered a drink just to steady his nerves. Any City fan with a pulse and a couple dollars took his cue and made it a double.

Mikel Arteta Ends the Title Chase

The final whistle was fast approaching and it looked like City would escape with a point. That wouldn't do them a lot of good in the title race with United, but it would have been better than nothing.

But then Mikel Arteta nicked the ball off Pizarro in the midfield. The Spaniard took a touch, looked up and fired a 25-yard screamer into the bottom corner of Joe Hart's net.

The shot meant that without a miracle, another year of Abu Dhabi billions will be for nothing.

Oh, and One More Thing... Mario

The game was over, but no one told Mario Balotelli. In the 90th, the striker gave everything trying to win the ball back and earned his second yellow card of the match with a late tackle on Bacary Sagna.

It wasn't a moment of stupidity as many pundits have labelled it, but a young player straining to save the game. It didn't go his way and the suspension that goes with his dismissal will probably mean he is finished for the season.

For that matter, so is Manchester City.