Torres double sends Premier League champions Manchester City top against embattled Arsenal
Man City beat Arsenal 5-0 at the Etihad stadium as Ilkay Gundogan, Ferran Torres double, Gabriel Jesus and Rodri all on target for the hosts.
The Gunners had Granit Xhaka sent off before half-time; City go top, while the visitors drop to the bottom of the Premier League, compounding the pressure on under-fire manager Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners arrived at the Etihad having lost their previous eight Premier League fixtures against City, and made a terrible start after falling behind to Ilkay Gundogan's seventh-minute header.
City doubled their lead just five minutes later through Ferran Torres's close-range finish after yet more woeful Arsenal defending, then Xhaka saw red for a two-footed lunge on Joao Cancelo ten minutes before half-time.
Gabriel Jesus added a third two minutes before the interval after fine approach play from Jack Grealish to end the game as a contest, with Torres heading in his second to complete the scoring six minutes from time.
It soon went from bad to worse for the Gunners when Xhaka was shown a straight red for a reckless, two-footed lunge on Cancelo, the experienced Swiss midfielder's fourth Premier League red since August 2016.
However, it did not take long for City to exploit their numerical advantage as Grealish set up Jesus for a simple close-range finish after a quick City break and a mesmerising run from their £100m playmaker.
That strike ended the game as a contest, with the second period largely resembling a training game in the Manchester sun as Torres headed in a late fifth to heap more pressure on Arteta as Arsenal lost a third straight game without scoring to kick off their new campaign.
City will take on Leicester City at the King Power, while Arsenal face newly promoted Norwich City at the Emirates, with both Premier League games kicking off at 3:00 Pm next weekend.
