Advertisement

Arsenal 2-1 Manchester City: FA Cup semi-final player ratings

Alexis Sánchez celebrates after scoring against Manchester City in extra-time to send Arsenal through to the FA Cup final at the expense of Manchester City
Alexis Sánchez celebrates after scoring against Manchester City in extra-time to send Arsenal through to the FA Cup final at the expense of Manchester City. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Arsenal

GK Petr Cech 6/10 Saved crucially from Touré but should he have been out to Agüero a little more quickly when the striker seemed to overrun the ball?

CB Gabriel Paulista 7/10 Like a number of Arsenal’s players he got better as the match went on. Fought hard in one of his more encouraging displays.

CB Laurent Koscielny 7/10 Made an excellent interception to deny Agüero early on and was alert throughout before helping Arsenal repel late pressure.

CB Rob Holding 7/10 Could have been the hero with an extra-time header that he should have converted. Impressive, solid performance at the back.

RWB Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 7/10 Better on the front foot, as shown by a risky tap on Agüero in the box, followed by a superb assist for Monreal’s goal. Grew into the game.

CM Aaron Ramsey 5/10 Presented Touré with the ball to allow him to pick out Agüero and made few other major contributions as the game passed him by.

CM Granit Xhaka 6/10 Careless distribution at times, which was particularly problematic in the first half, but steady enough as the game progressed.

LWB Nacho Monreal 7/10 Could not catch Agüero for the opener but it was a piece of perfect wing-back play that brought his crisply finished equaliser.

AM Mesut Özil 6/10 Much closer to the action after half-time and shot wide after Agüero’s goal. Influence grew and it was his free-kick that led to the winner.

AM Alexis Sánchez 7/10 Had barely had a sniff of goal before finding himself in the perfect position to convert the winner. Quiet otherwise but he will not care.

CF Olivier Giroud 6/10 Received little change from Kompany and Otamendi, a straightforward first-half header at Bravo proving his only real sight of goal.

Substitutes: Welbeck 7 (for Giroud, 83) Bellerín 6 (for Oxlade-Chamberlain, 105) Coquelin 6 (for Özil, 119) Not used Martínez, Gibbs, Iwobi, Walcott.

Manchester City

GK Claudio Bravo 6/10 Had little to save and no chance for Arsenal’s goals. Caused hearts to flutter with a second-half slip but generally secure with the ball.

RB Jesús Navas 6/10 Could have conceded a penalty after appearing to tug Sánchez. Was given little else to think about but is surely not the solution for City.

CB Nicolás Otamendi 7/10 Reacted well to several of Arsenal’s better attacking situations, one dispossession of Özil late in normal time standing out in particular.

CB Vincent Kompany 7/10 Has now come through two consecutive games with no ill effects and seemed to relish coming up against Giroud. One of the pluses for City.

LB Gaël Clichy 6/10 Competent enough but City could use greater forward thrust down his side. Occasionally troubled by Oxlade-Chamberlain and Welbeck.

CM Fernandinho 7/10 Thudded the bar with a header but was withdrawn in extra time through injury after playing with typical intelligence in the middle.

CM Yaya Touré 7/10 Quick-thinking ball to release Agüero and close to scoring when Cech tipped his effort on to a post 12 minutes from the end of normal time.

RW Kevin De Bruyne 7/10 Assumed creative responsibility after Silva’s exit but his industry created little before a golden opportunity for Delph in extra time.

AM David Silva 7/10 Started brightly, playing Agüero in and forcing Cech to tip a header over, before injury curtailed his afternoon after 23 minutes.

LW Leroy Sané 6/10 Should have had an assist when his cross for Agüero did not appear to go out. Hard work up and down the left but not his best showing.

CF Sergio Agüero 7/10 Incorrectly denied a first-half goal but, with plenty to do after Touré’s pass, the one that did count was taken well despite a heavy touch.

Substitutes: Sterling 5 (for Silva, 23) Delph 6 (for Agüero, 99), Fernando 6 (for Fernandinho, 99) Iheanacho 6 (for Sterling, 105) Not used Caballero, Zabaleta, Kolarov.