Phweee!
The referee's whistle cut through the air, and the match kicked off under the lights at Arsenal Stadium.
City did not disappoint. They immediately asserted control, dominating the tempo and possession against the home side, Arsenal, who remained loyal to their traditional tactical setup.
Bruce Rioch, ever cautious, stuck with his five-defender formation but gave his wingbacks the license to push high up the pitch.
Winterburn and Dixon surged forward from deep, Arsenal began to find their attacking rhythm and stretch City's defensive shape. Their offensive threat grew—not through radical changes in formation, but through subtle shifts in positional intent.
Arsenal's structure was clear: five at the back, a holding midfielder shielding the defense, and wingbacks providing width. Their wide attacks relied on those wingbacks pushing into advanced areas, while the central threat emerged from the interplay between central midfielders and forwards.
