Aguero strikes late to sink Gunners

IT IS DOUBTFUL Sheikh Mansour had nights of glory in the Carling Cup in mind when he sanctioned Manchester City’s lavish spending spree. Yet trophies possess a certain lustre, and City’s wealth of talent are well aware they are capable of winning any competition they put their mind to.

That for almost 90 minutes they singularly failed to perform in a manner befitting their standing yet still progressed to the semi-finals after winning at Arsenal for the first time in 36 years is ample proof of that. This was a game that Arsenal should have won; one that they would have triumphed in if Robin van Persie had been on the pitch rather than in the stands.

Yet it ended with Samir Nasri going over to applaud his triumphant supporters in the away end, glorifying in a victory that he could argue proved he made the right decision in swapping north London for the blue half of Manchester in the summer.