At the end of the first half, the Etihad Stadium fell completely silent.
Only the small group of Arsenal supporters in the away section continued singing, their voices echoing throughout the stadium.
The majority of Manchester City fans sat quietly, unable to understand what they had just witnessed.
This was not how they imagined the match would unfold.
The opening goal had already shocked them.
But the second goal left them completely confused.
Before kick-off, their confidence had been extremely high.
Manchester City had won their first six league matches. They had looked unstoppable. So why were they being completely outplayed by Arsenal?
Aguero had disappeared.
De Bruyne had failed to influence the match.
Sterling had struggled to make an impact.
Even David Silva, the player they trusted most to control the game, had been unable to find his rhythm.
And when comparing the midfield battle, the difference was obvious.
David Silva had been completely contained by Le Kai.
No.
That description was still too narrow. The entire Manchester City midfield had been controlled by Arsenal.
On Sky Sports, Martin Tyler reviewed the first half.
"Manchester City's opening 45 minutes have been extremely disappointing. Arsenal have pressed aggressively, attacked with incredible speed, and completely disrupted City's usual rhythm."
"David Silva is a player whose quality we all know, but today he has struggled to influence the game. Le Kai has done an outstanding job controlling that midfield battle."
Rob Hawthorne nodded.
"The interesting thing is that this is not simply about individual marking. Arsenal have controlled the entire tempo of the match."
"Almost every phase of the first half has been played at the speed Kai wanted, and Manchester City haven't found a solution."
Paul Merson shook his head.
"If Manchester City cannot make adjustments during the break, their winning run is in danger."
. . .
Inside Arsenal's dressing room, the atmosphere was completely different from the sombre Etihad Stadium. The players were excited. They were smiling, laughing, and celebrating among themselves.
The performance reminded them of the Liverpool match.
That same feeling had returned.
The confidence.
The sharpness.
The belief that everything they attempted would work.
However, Kai quickly stepped forward.
"Alright, everyone."
"I know you're happy with the first half, but calm down. Sit down and recover."
The players immediately responded, took their seats, and focused.
A few moments later, Pat Rice entered the room. As usual, he first praised the team's performance.
"You were excellent in the first half. The intensity, the discipline, and the transition speed were exactly what we wanted."
Then his expression became serious.
"But the match is not over."
He walked toward the tactics board.
"The second half will be completely different."
"Manchester City will attack."
"They have no choice."
He pointed at the defensive shape.
"Our priority is simple."
"Defense."
Arsenal were two goals ahead.
The next 45 minutes were about control.
If they could survive Manchester City's expected storm, victory would be theirs. Before the match, Arsenal would have accepted a draw. Now they had earned the right to fight for all three points. Their mindset had completely changed.
. . .
Meanwhile, inside the Manchester City dressing room, the atmosphere was tense. The first half had gone completely against expectations.
When Arsenal started quickly, Manchester City instinctively matched their tempo.
That was the first mistake.
The turning point was the opening goal.
After conceding, City became impatient.
They pushed forward desperately, leaving spaces behind.
Arsenal punished them again.
After the second goal, panic began spreading through the team. For David Silva and some of the players, the situation felt strangely familiar. They eerily remembered the last two seasons when Arsenal repeatedly overwhelmed opponents with their intensity and control.
Sterling, meanwhile, was feeling the pressure. The £50 million signing had struggled throughout the first half. Some teammates were visibly frustrated with his lack of influence.
Sterling wanted to defend himself. He wanted to explain that he was still adapting, but when he looked back at his own performance, he knew they had a point.
And as the newest member of the squad, he chose silence.
The frustration inside the dressing room continued growing.
Bang!
The door opened.
Guardiola walked in quickly.
He did not sit down or speak immediately; he rather looked around the room.
One player avoided his eyes.
Another stared at the floor.
Guardiola suddenly clapped his hands.
"Hey!"
Everyone looked up.
"Look at me!"
The room became silent.
Guardiola walked toward the tactics board, grabbed a marker, and drew two lines.
"Here."
He tapped the board.
"This is where we lost the game."
The players stared at the board.
"Not here."
He pointed toward Arsenal's penalty area.
"Not because they defended well."
He tapped his chest.
"Here."
He pointed at the midfield.
"Our heads."
Guardiola turned around sharply.
"When they scored, what happened?"
He raised both hands.
"Everyone wanted to run!"
He started walking around the room, gesturing with his hands.
"Run forward. Run forward. Run forward!"
His voice became louder.
"Why?"
He stopped.
"Why are we in a hurry?"
Nobody answered.
"We have 88 minutes!"
He spread his arms.
"Eighty-eight!"
He slapped the tactics board.
"But we play like we have eight seconds!"
Some players lowered their heads.
Guardiola immediately picked up two magnets and placed them on the board.
"Look."
He moved one forward.
"David receives."
He moved another.
"Kevin moves."
Another.
"Full-back comes."
He suddenly swept all the magnets away.
"No!"
He shook his head.
"Too fast. Too direct."
He leaned forward.
"We are giving Arsenal exactly what they want."
He pointed toward the board.
"They don't want to defend for 90 minutes. They want this."
He quickly moved his hand forward like a knife cutting through the air.
"One pass."
"One run."
"One chance."
"Goal."
He turned toward the attacking players.
"Because they have Aubameyang."
He snapped his fingers.
"You give him space, he kills you."
Guardiola walked back to the midfield magnets.
"David."
Silva looked up.
"You are the player who controls this."
He placed the magnet in the middle.
"You decide."
He moved his hand slowly from left to right.
"Slow."
Then quickly.
"Fast."
Again slowly.
"Slow."
Then fast.
"Fast."
He smiled slightly.
"This is football."
"Not running."
"Thinking."
He pointed at his head.
"Here."
Then his heart.
"And here."
Then he suddenly turned serious.
"But now?"
He looked around.
"Now we are angry."
He shook his head.
"Angry players make bad decisions."
He walked closer to the team.
"Forget the score."
"The score is 0-0."
A few players looked surprised.
"Yes."
He nodded firmly.
"0-0."
"We start again."
He returned to the tactics board.
"Second half, we don't chase them."
"We move them."
"Make them tired."
"Make them run."
"Make them defend."
He drew a circle around Arsenal's midfield.
"When they move here..."
He moved a magnet wide.
"We go here."
Another movement.
"When they close here..."
He moved another magnet.
"We go there."
He threw the marker onto the table.
"Simple!"
He raised his voice.
"But simple does not mean easy."
He pointed at every player.
"Stay together."
"Stay patient."
"Stay brave."
Then he looked toward David Silva again.
"David, you give us the rhythm."
"Not them."
He pointed toward Arsenal's badge on the tactics board.
"Not Arsenal."
He tapped Manchester City's badge.
"Us."
A final pause.
Then Guardiola clapped loudly.
"Come on!"
"Forty-five minutes."
"Forty-five minutes to show who we are."
Under Guardiola's guidance, the Manchester City players gathered around him, shouting in unison. Their confidence, which had been shaken during the first half, slowly began to return.
. . .
The halftime break passed quickly.
Both teams returned to the pitch.
Le Kai looked across at Manchester City's lineup.
There were no substitutions.
This meant Guardiola still believed that this group of players could turn the situation around, equalize the score, or even complete a comeback.
At that moment, David Silva also turned his head and looked toward Kai.
Their eyes met briefly before both players quickly looked away.
Kai's expression remained serious.
The first half had gone according to Arsenal's plan. They took advantage of Manchester City's impatience and caught them off guard with two quick goals.
A two-goal lead was a huge advantage.
But it did not mean the match was over.
Manchester City was never an opponent that could be easily defeated.
And David Silva...
Kai knew very well how dangerous this Spanish midfielder was.
He had to stay focused.
Meanwhile, David Silva's thoughts were complicated.
He first heard the name Le Kai three years ago, during Arsenal's revenge match against Manchester United. At that time, the young midfielder had shocked England with his outstanding performance and quickly became one of the biggest topics in London.
But nobody expected that this teenager would grow so quickly.
In only a few years, he had taken over Arsenal's captain's armband and even lifted the Champions League trophy as the club's first Champions League-winning captain.
David Silva had to admit that the player standing in front of him now was completely different from the youngster he once heard about.
Kai had become a midfielder capable of changing the direction of a match.
The second half began.
Manchester City restarted the match.
After the kickoff, they immediately circulated the ball backward, preparing themselves for Arsenal's pressure.
However, what happened next surprised everyone.
Arsenal did not press.
They did not push forward.
Instead, the entire team calmly retreated into their own half and formed a defensive shape.
David Silva's eyes widened slightly.
Arsenal...
Were they really going to defend?
A complete mid block?
Not only were the Manchester City players stunned, but even the fans at the Etihad Stadium looked confused.
Arsenal?
The same Arsenal pressing machine from last year?
Many fans immediately looked toward the Arsenal bench.
There stood Pat Rice.
His arms were crossed, his chin slightly raised, and his expression showed no hesitation. He had no embarrassment about this approach whatsoever.
Pat Rice could feel the pressure and noise coming from the stadium. Wenger would never willingly choose this kind of football, but Pat Rice was different. He did not care about appearances or outside opinions.
Football was about winning.
If defending deeply could bring three points, then there was nothing wrong with doing it. In this aspect, he had always admired Mourinho's philosophy.
Once you have gained an advantage, protect it.
There were no perfect tactics.
Only tactics that suited the situation.
Manchester City wanted to attack?
Fine.
Then break through Arsenal's defensive wall.
If they could do it, they deserved the goal.
"Push higher!"
"Stay up!"
"No, don't push! The space behind us is too dangerous!"
"Recycle the ball!"
Manchester City players continued their attacks, but every time they approached Arsenal's penalty area, frustration appeared on their faces.
The box was crowded. The passing lanes were blocked. Arsenal players occupied every possible route. The Gunners had completely abandoned their usual pressing.
They did not care about dominating possession.
Right now, they only cared about one thing.
Winning.
Holding onto the three points.
Doing whatever was necessary.
Bang!
Sterling attempted to break into the penalty area, but Kai stood directly in front of him. The English winger tried to find a way through, but Kai's position was firm and unmoving.
Sterling became frustrated. The memory of being thrown to the ground by Le Kai in a previous encounter remained fresh in his mind. He could only keep moving, searching for a gap in Arsenal's defense.
. . .
. .
.
"Manchester City are anxious!"
Martin Tyler said.
"Although Manchester City tried to slow the tempo down in the opening minutes of the second half, Arsenal's repeated counterattacks forced them back into a faster pace. David Silva wanted to control the rhythm, but every time he received the ball near Arsenal's eighteen-yard box, he immediately faced Arsenal's aggressive pressing."
"In this situation, Manchester City simply cannot play the kind of controlled football they want."
Martin Tyler continued, "Arsenal used a similar approach during the 2013-14 season, but Pat Rice has added even more aggression and intensity to it. The pressing is more proactive, the defensive movement is faster, and Manchester City has no chance to settle into their own rhythm."
On the sideline, Guardiola stood with one hand in his pocket while his other hand rubbed the top of his head.
His expression was becoming increasingly serious. The second half was once again drifting away from the rhythm Manchester City wanted. Every time they tried to slow the match down, Arsenal's pressing forced them into quicker decisions.
And when the tempo increased, the time available for thinking became shorter. This was exactly where Arsenal had the advantage. Or more accurately, this was where Kai gave Arsenal an advantage.
Most midfielders needed a moment after receiving the ball. They would observe the situation, analyze their options, and then decide their next move.
But Le Kai was different.
He already understood what was about to happen before the ball arrived. The moment the ball reached his feet, he already knew where the next pass should go.
And more often than not, that pass was the best possible option.
A pass that could immediately turn defense into attack. This was why teams that tried to play a high-tempo game against Arsenal often suffered.
Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Juventus. They had all experienced the same problem. A fast-paced match was exactly the environment where Le Kai could maximize his influence.
Of course, it consumed a tremendous amount of energy.
But as long as the tempo remained high, Arsenal possessed enough intensity to suppress their opponents.
Manchester City wanted a goal.
But Arsenal's defense remained unbreakable.
As a defensive midfielder, Le Kai was not only responsible for starting attacks.
He was also the organizer of the defensive structure.
With him controlling the midfield, Arsenal's defensive shape became incredibly difficult to penetrate.
"Come on, Gunners!"
"Keep going!"
"Twenty minutes left!"
"Take the three points from the Etihad!"
The Arsenal supporters continued shouting from the stands.
Even though Arsenal had retreated into a defensive formation, they had never abandoned their attacking threat. They were not simply clearing the ball away and waiting for the final whistle.
Whenever an opportunity appeared, they immediately launched a rapid counterattack.
And this was exactly what troubled Manchester City the most.
Every attack carried the risk of leaving space behind.
Every forward pass required them to consider Arsenal's counterattack.
As the match progressed, Manchester City's players became increasingly exhausted.
The clock reached the 70th minute.
At this point, anxiety began spreading throughout the Etihad Stadium.
Time was running out.
The equalizer still had not arrived.
Everyone wanted to score.
Everyone wanted to push forward.
Then suddenly...
"Listen!"
"He can't keep running forever!"
"We just need to hold on!"
De Bruyne's roar broke through the noise.
The Manchester City players froze for a moment.
Then they looked toward Arsenal.
And they noticed something.
The Gunners were tired.
Their breathing had become heavier.
Their movements were not as sharp as before.
Manchester City's pressure had not been meaningless. Arsenal's defensive wall was beginning to show cracks. They could not maintain this intensity forever.
A small spark of hope appeared again.
Just as Manchester City's players prepared to launch one final assault, the Craig Pawson's whistle interrupted the game.
The ball had gone out of play.
And Arsenal made substitutions.
Three at once.
Sanchez came off.
Mertesacker came off.
Monreal came off.
Flamini entered.
Mustafi entered.
Gibbs entered.
Three defensive players.
All at once.
Patrice had used up every remaining substitution.
It was a clear message.
Arsenal were committing everything to protecting this lead.
"He's going all in..."
Guardiola's expression changed.
Then he cursed under his breath.
Pat Rice had reacted too quickly.
He had seen the danger before Manchester City could fully exploit it. The moment Manchester City found a little hope, Arsenal immediately destroyed it.
Guardiola also made substitutions afterward, but his changes were forced. They increased Manchester City's attacking strength, but Arsenal had already taken the initiative.
A trace of regret appeared in Guardiola's eyes.
He should have made changes earlier.
That first goal...
That was the source of everything.
. .
"Hold on!"
"Only twenty minutes left!"
"The fresh players need to cover more ground!"
"Help your teammates! Stay focused!"
Le Kai's voice echoed across the pitch as he pointed towards his head.
. .
On the sidelines, Patrice finally let out a long breath. Unless something unexpected happened, this game belonged to Arsenal. This would also be the second elite team he had defeated since taking charge.
Thinking about that, Patrice's expression became slightly strange.
Against the big teams, Arsenal performed well, but against ordinary teams, they often struggled to find solutions.
The Manchester City supporters at the Etihad Stadium looked disappointed. Their team's performance today has been far below expectations.
Fans came to their stadium hoping to celebrate victories, not watch their team fall. Before the final whistle, some Manchester City supporters had already begun leaving their seats.
They did not need to watch the remaining minutes. They knew the result was almost impossible to change.
And they were right.
Arsenal continued to withstand Manchester City's attacks. Throughout the match, Manchester City created many attacking situations, but their actual chances were limited.
Their shots were not many.
Their shots on target were even fewer.
Every wave of pressure was blocked by Arsenal's defensive line.
The minutes slowly passed.
90 minutes.
Then injury time.
The Etihad Stadium was still waiting for a miracle.
In the 92nd minute, Manchester City finally found an opening.
A corner kick was delivered into the box.
Aguero suddenly moved toward the near post, escaped his marker, and connected with the ball.
Goal!
Manchester City pulled one back.
1-2.
The stadium erupted for a brief moment, but before Manchester City could launch another attack after the restart, Craig Pawson raised the whistle.
Full-time.
2015-16 Premier League, Matchday 7.
Manchester City 1-2 Arsenal.
Arsenal ended Manchester City's perfect winning run.
The six-game winning streak was over.
. . .
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