Goals:   

1-0: Giroud (27, moved away from his marker to turn in Gibbs’ low centre from eight yards)

2-0: Giroud (29, left Friend to meet Sanchez’s corner with a cushioned first time volley)

Bookings: Gabriel (55, foul); Vossen (85, foul)

Referee: Mike Dean (The Wirral) – little need for him to dish out a lot of cautions and allowed the play to flow. 7

Attendance:  59,823

Entertainment: **

 

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Szczesny 6; Chambers 6, Gabriel 6, Koscielny 7, Gibbs 7; Flamini 6, CAZORLA 8; Sanchez 7 (Rosicky 72), Ozil 8, Welbeck 6 (Walcott 72); Giroud 8 (Akpom 83). Subs: Martinez (gk), Mertesacker, Monreal, Coquelin.

 

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-4-1-1):

8 MEJIAS: The goals were not his fault and he made a number of good saves to prevent more from going in;

5 Fredericks: Given a tough afternoon dealing with the overlapping presence of Gibbs and the roaming Gunners forwards

6 Omeruo: Made a couple of telling early blocks but this was a tough afternoon for the defence as a whole

5 Gibson: The young defender was given an insight in to the standards that will be expected of him if Boro go up this season

5 Friend: Could not be faulted for his work-rate even if he allowed Giroud too much space for the second;

5 Bamford: Largely non-existent and never looked like finding the breakthrough like he did at City

6 Leadbitter: Spent the majority of the game having to move left and right to track the Gunners midfield

5 Clayton: Very similar display to Leadbitter in that most of his performance was spent defending;

5 Adomah: Tried a couple of times to turn defence in to attack with little joy;

5 Tomlin: He might claim to have had Kompany in his back pocket but he certainly didn’t have Koscielny or Gabriel in there;

5 Kike: Hardly any chance to make an impression until he headed against the post in the dying seconds

Subs:

Reach (for Bamford 54): One bursting run after his introduction to worry Arsenal. 5

Vossen (for Tomlin 54): Made little impact in an attacking sense. 5

(not used): Ripley (gk), Nsue, Husband, Whitehead, Woodgate.

 

MAN OF THE MATCH: Santi Cazorla – made the Gunners tick from start to finish to frustrate Boro.