FULL TIME - a game that hinged on the early, deserved red card for Koscielny. Goals from Milner and Dzeko put them into a commanding lead then they hung on in the second half despite Kompany also being dismissed. Mike Dean the most relieved man that it is all over. Manchester United's lead cut to seven points.

An aimless ball from Wilshere pretty much ends the contest. City's fans telling Arsenal they charge too much for tickets.

Silva is subbed and Kolarov comes on.

Gibbs gets a cross in but Giroud's effort on goal is more like a back pass.

Silva does well to keep hold of the ball but is eventually crowded out in Arsenal's box.

Five added minutes....

A great chance for Walcott as he gets into the area on an angle, and beats Hart but Lescott had dropped back to clear off the line.

Dzeko trots off and Balotelli, complete with his new blond do, is on.

Hart comes to punch a corner and clatters into Nastasic, Giroud battered him from the other side too.

Barry kicks out at Wilshere and yet another card comes out. A definite one.

Dzeko is not doing a good job of holding the ball up.

Another penalty shout for handball, but nothing doing from Mike Dean. Walcott blasted it at Clichy.

Sagan into the area and Giroud is free but Garcia blocks the cross.

What have Arsenal got left in the tank? They must be knackered by now.

Milner ends the most recent session of keep ball with a skewed shot miles wide of the target.

City keen to keep possession and run the clock down now.

Giroud wastes a good break by overunning the ball then fouling Garcia.

Tevez comes off and Lescott replaces him.

So, ten v ten for the final 15 minutes. Kompany was apoplectic when the card came out. No way that was a red if Arsenal weren't down to ten.

Mike Dean sends Kompany off, he won the ball but it was a strong tackle. I can't agree with that at all I'm afraid.

City are one pass away from finishing this game but their final ball hasn't been good enough this half.

Oh dear, Giroud. Cazorla's ball finds the striker six yards out, unmarked, and he nods over.

Clichy trips Sagna on the flank and is carded. Biggest cheer of the day from the home fans.

Awful from Tevez, this time Dzeko does release him in on goal, Sagna nips at his heels then Szczesny prevents him from going round the keeper. Mancini not happy.

Giroud has at least added some presence up front for Arsenal but he and Walcott aren't getting much service.

Milner's dangerous cross is nodded behind by Sagna.

An Arsenal free kick nearly finds Giroud, then Sagna offloads to Cazorla who fires over the bar.

One pass from Silva releases Dzeko and all he has to do is square the ball for Tevez who is all alone - but he can;t and Vermaelen blocks.

Wilshere gets a card when play stops for an earlier tackle on Garcia.

Desperate defending from Arsenal though Dezko had oodles of time to shoot but chose to cut back inside instead. Eventually he's crowded out.

Tevez and Dzeko link well but the former can't latch on to the latter's pass. Szczesny is out to grab it.

Ramsey replaces Diaby.

Very poor from Tevez as he gets into the area and has three options to choose from, he decides to half hit a pass to Silva.

Dzeko trips Wilshere and then Mike Dean tells Vermaelen to stop moaning at him every time there is a break in play.

Wilshere wins the ball back and sends Sagna away - he runs a good 40 yards with the ball and crosses but Giroud can't wrap his foot round the ball to get an effort on target.

Here comes Giroud, in place of the lacklustre Podolski.

Milner is late on Wilshere and gets a card. Not malicious, but late.

Sagna upends Barry - one decision Arsenal's fans couldn't disagree with.

Nice ball from Wilshere but Gibbs can't control it properly.

Gibbs has a pop at goal as Arsenal break down the right with Wilshere but Barry blocks. Better from the home side.

Wilshere delivers a poor ball then fouls Silva. Arsenal getting frustrated.

Dzeko should have made it 3-0. Barry does well to rob Podolski of the ball, finds Milner and he stands up a lovely cross for Dzeko, whose header loops over the bar.

More howling from the Emirates crowd as Walcott is flagged offside. Replay shows the linesman was spot on.

Zabaleta is flagged offside as he trots forward. He's having a good season.

Mike Dean is welcomed back to the field with a chorus of boos, before he gets us back under way....

Edin Dzeko grabbed his goal to make up for his penalty miss

HALF TIME - boos greet the half time whistle as Arsenal's fans continue to gripe about the sending off. Unless something extraordinary happens in the second half, this will be a procession for City.

Vermaelen clatters into Dzeko late - he was never going to win that ball. Deserved card.

A pedestrian end to the half with City stroking the ball around under no pressure.

Off the line from Wilshere as Milner's corner is met by Garcia.

Diaby gets into the box and shoots wildly miles wide.

Wilshere dinks a devilish ball in but City defend well. Kompany nodded clear.

Now Silva fouls Wilshere and Arsenal have a free kick 35 yards out to the right of centre.

Podolski comes away with the ball and crosses but Clichy prevents it reaching Cazorla.

Certain pundits are still refusing to believe Dzeko had a goalscoring opportunity for Koscielny's red. Staggering. Truly.

A better spell from Arsenal but City closing ranks pretty effectively in their own half.

Good effort from Podolski after nice build up play between him and Diaby. Right at Joe Hart, who at last has some work to do.

This could seriously ugly for Arsenal if they are not careful. City ripping them apart.

Zabaleta does superbly to get the ball off Gibbs, Milner's low cross is diverted goalwards by Tevez, Szczesny saves but Dzeko polishes it off.

GOAL Dzeko gets his goal!

Vermaelen bursts forward as Walcott gets a rare chunk of space but two crosses into the box fail to find their desired target.

Arsenal have just got to dig in, deny City as much space as possible and try to get to half time at 1-0 or better.

Brief respite as Arsenal win a free kick but Walcott's ball is overhit and no-one can get on the end of it.

Now Garcia nods wide from Barry's cross. City are utterly dominant here.

Silva shoots from the edge of the box when he should have fed Garcia. He wins a corner.

Diaby gives the ball away, Silva finds Tevez but his fierce shot is well held by Szczesny.

Now another Milner drive causes danger as Tevez is a yard away from turning it home for number two.

After the foul on Garcia that led to the goal, Dean allowed City a brief advantage but then pulled play back for the free kick. Arsenal are not happy about that but I'm not entirely sure why.

Its all kicking off here. Arsenal are aggrieved at the free kick that led to the goal but it was a clear foul, then Zabaleta claims an elbow from Podolski, goes down then springs up to confront the striker when the ref doesn't give a free kick.

A quick free kick is Arsenal's undoing as Tevez threads a super ball through to Milner and he fires powerfully past Szczesny.

GOAL Milner scores!

Nice move from City as Barry hooks a ball to Silva, who nods into Dzeko's path but he slices wide. Not a great day for him so far.

Wilshere is down clutching his ankle, after Garcia trod on it. Painful but I don't think too serious.

And from the corner Hart punches clear and from the edge of the box Walcott skews horribly wide.

Sagna wins a corner off Clichy - Arsenal want a handball but that was a hard one to call. Outside the box anyway.

So nearly an opener for Tevez as Kompany flicks on Milner's cross.

Wenger is fuming on the sidelines but he should be angry with Koscielny above anyone else. The defender was the wrong side of Dzeko and rugby tackled him.

Mertesacker comes on for Oxlade-Chamberlain, as Wenger reorganises.

Wow, what a slice of action! I don't think Arsenal can have too many complaints as Koscielny had a clear hold of Dzeko. The red card is debatable, as Szczesny had come out, but I don't think you can argue too much.

Dzeko misses! Szczesny diverts Dzeko's effort onto the post, then grabs it as it rolls back across the goalline!

Right, the replay clears it up, Koscielny has both arms round Dzeko as he turned on a looping ball and he's been dismissed. Hard to argue with it really.

Mike Dean has sent someone off and has awarded City a penalty. I've no ides what for!

The ball drops to Zabaleta whose shot is scuffed a little and Kompany can't turn the loose ball home after it is blocked.

Excellent first time pass from Barry as he squares it for Silva on the edge, Vermaelen is out to deflect the ball behind.

Now Wilshere with a poor pass as Walcott made a run beyond the back four.

Awful ball from Milner as Diaby surrenders possession. Dzeko makes a good run but the pass is poor.

Diaby gets involved early on winning the ball but Sagna's eventual cross is booted clear by Kompany.

Silva with some nice touches in the early stages. Clichy attracting some stick, obvs.

Good start from City as Wilshere tracks Tevez into the box and concedes a corner.

KICK OFF

Right, here we go. Arsene Wenger has just called his selection of Abou Diaby a "gamble". Oh dear.

It's a big week for Arsenal, with Chelsea to play next week. They can draw comfort from their formidable home record against City though, who haven't won here since 1975.

Team news: Nastasic, Garcia and Tevez are in for City with Aguero injured and the Toures at the African Cup of Nations. And for Arsenal, Abou Diaby is back for the injured Mikel Arteta.

Afternoon all and welcome along to our second big game of the day. With Manchester United beating Liverpool 2-1, neighbours City find themselves ten points behind their rivals. And they haven't won at Arsenal in 38 years.