City thrashes Arsenal 6-3 to throw open title race

MANCHESTER: Manchester City delivered another devastating attacking display to beat Premier League leader Arsenal 6-3 in a wild shootout on Saturday, leaving the chastened leaders in range of the chasing pack in the title race.

After putting four goals past Manchester United and six past Tottenham at Etihad Stadium this season, City dismantled another of its main rivals for an eighth straight home win that showed just why Manuel Pellegrini´s freescoring team is most pundits´ favorites for the title.

Arsenal, weary after a grueling Champions League defeat at Napoli on Wednesday, was breached by prolific strikers Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo in the first half and disintegrated after the break as Fernandinho (two), David Silva and Yaya Toure plundered more goals.

Pellegrini´s players are living up to their tag as the Premier League´s entertainers — they have scored 35 goals in eight matches at the Etihad and are now just three points off Arsenal.

Theo Walcott scored twice, to make it 1-1 and 3-2, with Per Mertesacker grabbing the Gunners´ other goal in second-half stoppage time. But they were ripped apart by City´s sparkling forward department, reviving memories of their 8-2 loss at Manchester United in August 2011.

This was Arsenal´s third high-intensity match in the space of seven days, having drawn 1-1 with Everton last weekend, and they have clearly taken their toll.

Aguero and the Argentina striker continued his brilliant scoring run by volleying in expertly in the 14th minute after Samir Nasri´s corner was flicked in at the near post by Martin Demichelis.

It was Aguero´s 19th goal in 20 matches in all competitions.Walcott equalized against the run of play in the 31st, meeting Mesut Ozil´s cut-back with a sidefooted shot that took a slight deflection off Demichelis. Back came City, though, Negredo guided home a cross by the galloping Pablo Zabaleta in the 39th.

Worse for Arsenal, key defender Laurent Koscielny sustained a deep laceration to his left knee as he attempted to cut out the cross and was carried off on a stretcher.

Aguero hobbling off in the 48th didn´t hamper City, with Fernandinho making it 3-1 within two minutes after Mathieu Flamini failed to collect Ozil´s pass across the face of the area.

The Brazilian seized on the mistake and curled in a fine finish from 25 yards for his first City goal.Walcott, making his first start since September, curled a brilliant shot past Costel Pantilimon from an angle in the 63rd minute but City wasn´t to be denied as Jesus Navas set up fellow Spaniard Silva for the fourth in the 66th and Fernandinho made it 5-2 in the 88th. (AP)