Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of today's Premier League encounter between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates.
City have fallen eight points behind Premier League leaders Manchester United after the Reds defeated Queens Park Rangers 2-0 on Sunday, and therefore Roberto Mancini's side will be keen to secure the victory to keep their title hopes alive.
Arsenal, meanwhile, enter the match knowing that a victory would move them back into third in the Premier League.
The stats are firmly in the home side's favour this weekend, with City failing to win any of their last 26 league encounters at Arsenal.
> Full team news for the match
(Please refresh this page for the latest updates)
00 min: Today's referee is Martin Atkinson, Mancini has called this match 'a final,' can they secure the three points?
01 min: Arsenal get us underway this afternoon.
03 min: It's Manchester City with the early possession on this sunny afternoon in North London.
03 min: First chance of the match as Mikel Arteta whips a dangerous cross into the City box, but Vincent Kompany heads the ball to safety.
05 min: Arsenal winger Theo Walcott looks lively in these early stages, and he will attack former Gunners teammate Gael Clichy.
07 min: It's really nice work from Arsenal with Kieran Gibbs and Arteta both involved, but again Kompany deals with the danger.
08 min: Chance for Arsenal through Tomas Rosicky, but the midfielder's effort is blocked by the City defence. All Arsenal thus far.
11 min: City cannot get out of their own half at the moment.
13 min: City are struggling in the early stages of the match, with Walcott and Sagna heavily involved for the home side.
14 min: Penalty shout for the home side as Robin Van Persie is bundled over in the area, but Atkinson waves play on.
16 min: Chance! Somehow Arsenal fail to take the lead when Van Persie rose with a header, but his own man Thomas Vermaelen blocked it on the line. Still 0-0 here at the Emirates.
18 min: Early change for City as Yaya Toure is replaced by David Pizarro.
19 min: Finally City have the ball in the Arsenal half.
20 min: Terrible tackle from Mario Balotelli on Alex Song, the City striker should have seen red. Awful stuff from the Italian.
22 min: Still all Arsenal as we approach the mid-point in the opening half of football. Will they regret not scoring when on top?
25 min: City are beginning to enjoy a spell with the ball after a difficult 25 minutes. Still no goal threat for the away side, however.
26 min: Chance! I was almost made to eat my words as Balotelli sneaks in from a corner, but his strike is blocked on the line.
30 min: More of an even encounter in the latter stages of the half, with City beginning to enjoy possession of the ball.
32 min: This is certainly City's best period of the match with Balotelli and Nasri both looking a threat. The chances for Arsenal have dried up in the last 10 minutes or so.
34 min: Chance for Arsenal as Arteta whips a dangerous cross into the box, but City goalkeeper Joe Hart claws the ball to safety.
38 min: Balotelli is handed a booking for a challenge on Sagna, will the controversial striker last the entire 90 minutes?
42 min: Chances have been few and far between for either side in the latter stages of the half.
42 min: Sloppy play from Walcott as he loses possession in the City half, it hasn't been a great display from the England man thus far.
45 min: We will play an additional three minutes at the end of the half.
HALF-TIME: Arsenal 0-0 Manchester City
So there we have it, the score remains 0-0 at the interval after a lively 45 minutes of football at the Emirates. Arsenal will certainly feel that they should have been ahead after a flurry of early chances, but City came back into the match in the latter stages of the half. Will we have a winner in the second period?
46 min: We are underway in the second period at the Emirates.
48 min: City certainly look more lively in the early stages of the second-half.
50 min: It's good possession from City as Samir Nasri looks to release Sergio Aguero, but the striker cannot collect.
51 min: Good chance for Aguero as he advances into the box, but it's good work from Laurent Koscielny.
53 min: Chance! Nasri finds Pablo Zabaleta in the area, but the City defender heads wide from close range.
56 min: Change for Arsenal as Gibbs is replaced by Andre Santos.
57 min: Santos's first touch is a good one as he clears the danger with Gareth Barry advancing into the area.
60 min: Chance for City as James Milner crosses into the box, but it was Song with an impressive header who cleared the danger. Arsenal haven't really got going in this second period.
62 min: Chance for Arsenal as Yossi Benayoun advances into the area, but his shot is collected by Hart.
63 min: Chance! It's Van Persie again who smashes the post with a header from close range. Arsenal should be ahead.
65 min: We have 25 minutes of football remaining this afternoon, can City reignite their title challenge with a winner?
67 min: Arsenal are beginning to look a threat in this match with Benayoun pulling the strings on this rainy afternoon in London.
68 min: It's a horrendous challenge from Koscielny on Barry, and the Gunners defender is booked for his troubles.
70 min: Arsenal score through Van Persie! But it is ruled out for offside, replays showed it to be the correct decision. It's all Arsenal now.
72 min: Aguero loses possession yet again for City, will we see Carlos Tevez in the last 20?
73 min: Chance! Arsenal again come close with a header from Benayoun, but Zabaleta produces a fine header to clear the danger. City are struggling here.
76 min: Incredible scenes at the Emirates. The match is somehow still 0-0 with Walcott, Vermaelen and Benayoun all missing with the goal gaping. We are still level, but how, I'll never know.
79 min: Much better from Walcott in the second period, he looks a real threat. Changes for both sides as Aaron Ramsey replaces Benayoun for Arsenal, while City introduce Aleksandar Kolorov for Nasri.
81 min: Free-kick for City in a dangerous position as Balotelli is brought down by Ramsey, but it comes to nothing.
83 min: Still all Arsenal as we approach the final 10 minutes.
83 min: Here we go, City bring on Carlos Tevez in place of Aguero for the final moments.
85 min: Another waste from Arsenal as Song releases the ball too late, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has replaced Walcott for the final five or so minutes.
87 min: GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City (Arteta)
Wonderful from Arteta who collects the ball outside the area before firing a sensational effort into the corner.
88 min: What a big goal that is in terms of the title race, as it stands, City would be eight points behind Manchester United at the top of the table.
90 min: It gets worse for City as Balotelli is given a red card for a challenge on Sagna.
90 min: We will play four additional minutes.
95 min: Ramsey might have wrapped it up for Arsenal, but somehow he fires over from close range.
FULL-TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City
So there we have it. Mikel Arteta's strike after 87 minutes has secured all three points for Arsenal at the Emirates. The result surely ends City's title challenge, while Arsenal have moved back into third place in the Premier League. A full report of the match can be found here. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for the coverage.
