Gary Neville told Sky Sports during their live coverage of Man City’s win at Arsenal that Raheem Sterling ‘should have scored a hat-trick’ after five minutes.
It took two minutes for Man City to break Arsenal down when Sterling rose above Holding to head his team ahead and Neville claimed that the centre-back didn’t see the 5ft7 forward as a threat.
Man City were toying with Arsenal from the first minute, with Sterling missing a chance before the £49m Englishman (BBC Sport) scored and Kevin de Bruyne putting him through on goal after five minutes.
Arsenal knew before the game that they had their work cut out, but Neville claiming that Sterling should have had three goals before the five minutes were up, just summed up their whole game.
“Sterling should have had a hat-trick,” said Neville. “He can do that sometimes, Raheem Sterling. Where he complicates it (the chance he missed after De Bruyne’s through ball). He could have got a shot away earlier.
“Maybe just because of the size of Sterling, Holding doesn’t really see him as a threat. He (Holding) just cannot move his feet quick enough and Raheem gets up early.
“I think Pep has made him a modern-day wide player in a three that’s like a forward. Goalscoring return of a striker. And the position of a winger.”
It would have been pure frustration from Arsenal’s perspective that they didn’t really test the runaway leaders.
There’s no shame in losing to Pep Guardiola’s team because they have won 18 games on the bounce in all competitions, but the home side didn’t lay a glove on them.
All of this puts big pressure on Arsenal’s Europa League showdown with Benfica, which is a must-win if the Gunners are to get anything from this pretty abject campaign.
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