Manchester City's Rodrigo celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal. AP

Gulf Today Report

Ferrando Torres scored twice, while Ilkay Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus and Rodrigo were also on target as Manchester City routed a crest-fallen Arsenal 5-0 in their English Premier League match on Saturday.

Gundogan broke the deadlock in the seventh minute, Torres added one more five minutes later 12 to extend the lead.

Just before the half-time Jesus scored the third to make it 3-0 in the 43rd minute and Rodri was on target soon after the break as City took a commendable lead of 4-0 before Torres scored late in the dying moments to complete the rout.

City rubbed more salt to the Arsenal’s wound as the Gunners were completely subdued by a rampaging City, who were playing without star striker Kevin De Bruyne Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez.

De Bruyne was ruled out due to an injury while Sterling and Mahrez were benched. In the absence of big names, Torres stepped up and took the onus on his shoulders.

Manchester City players celebrate their goal. AP

This is Arsenal’s third straight loss in as many games which has added to mounting pressure on coach Micheal Arteta. They are yet to score a goal and are lying at the bottom of the table with zero points in three games.

The victory also shows the firepower in City’s attack as why coach Pep Guardiola had ruled out signing of a new striker before the next transfer window after they failed to rope in Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Both the players were heavily linked to City before Kane ruled out his move to the Manchester giants and Ronaldo was scooped up by his former club Manchester United in what is considered as one of the major coups of English football.