Manchester City 0 Arsenal 3: Gunners make hay after Boyata dismissal

City had been looking to reclaim second place in the Barclays Premier League having been usurped before kick-off by neighbours United but hopes of a fifth successive win were all but dashed with the early sending off of Dedryck Boyata at Eastlands.

Nasri put the Gunners ahead 20 minutes into a fiery contest and although Joe Hart kept City in contention with a penalty save from Cesc Fabregas, Song and Bendtner finished them off.

Victory lifted Arsenal back into the top four, above United and City on goal difference, and contradicted recent criticism of the Londoners' record against their perceived title rivals.

The momentum all appeared to be with City prior to the match, which was preceded by a memorial service and minute's applause for their late manager Malcolm Allison.

Carlos Tevez was back to lead the City line while Emmanuel Adebayor, despite a midweek hat-trick, was left on the bench against his former club.

The hosts appeared in a rush to impress as Boyata, starting ahead of Joleon Lescott, released Tevez with a superb ball down the right after one minute.

Tevez raced beyond the defence and into the area but David Silva failed to make firm contact with his ball into the middle and Lukasz Fabianski saved his scuffed shot.

Tevez then set Micah Richards free down the right but this time Bacary Sagna slid in to deal with the cross.

Yet no sooner had City started to look dominant than Boyata, as the last man, was sent off for bringing down Marouane Chamakh as he raced onto Fabregas's pass. Mark Clattenburg took time to consider his verdict but showed a straight red card.

After that it became clear Clattenburg was in for a tough afternoon as the tackles started to fly in.

He booked Denilson for a late challenge on Tevez but showed restraint after Nigel de Jong felled Fabregas.

Gareth Barry was shown a yellow card for fouling the Spaniard but Song escaped such punishment for a bad tackle on Silva.

The opening goal came after 20 minutes as Nasri played a one-two with Andrey Arshavin on the edge of the box and clipped the ball over Hart.

Fabregas, still being given close attention by City, was booked himself after tangling with De Jong.

Song and Johan Djourou also went into Clattenburg's notebook before the break after challenges on Silva and Tevez respectively.

The game refused to settle down and Clattenburg was called upon again as Vincent Kompany recklessly lunged in on Fabregas just inside the area.

A penalty was the obvious outcome but Hart kept City in the game with a brilliant save from Fabregas's spot-kick.

City boss Roberto Mancini decided to make a bold change after 52 minutes, gambling on the determination of Adebayor to impress and removing usual talisman Tevez.

An intricate move saw James Milner feed Silva inside the box and the Spaniard's curving right-foot shot was brilliantly tipped wide by Fabianski.

Song effectively finished City off in the 66th minute when he grabbed an opportunistic second goal for the visitors.

Wayne Bridge had blocked Fabregas's pass intended for Chamakh but the ball ran loose and Song, unchallenged, pounced to smash it into the top corner.

Adebayor raised City fans' spirits when he forced a fine save from Fabianski with a firm header but a flag had already been raised for offside.

There was a stoppage 15 minutes from time when an object appeared to be thrown from the crowd as Arsenal prepared to take a corner.

Substitute Bendtner put the result beyond any doubt five minutes from time when he raced clear and finished from a tight angle.

Fit-again 23m signing Mario Balotelli went close to a late consolation when he forced Fabianksi to tip over.

Manchester City: Hart, Richards, Boyata, Kompany, Boateng, Silva, Toure Yaya (Bridge 46), De Jong, Barry (Balotelli 72), Milner, Tevez (Adebayor 52). Unused substitutes: Given, Adam Johnson, Lescott, Vieira.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Djourou, Squillaci, Clichy, Nasri, Fabregas (Walcott 85), Song, Denilson, Arshavin (Rosicky 70), Chamakh (Bendtner 84). Unused substitutes: Szczesny, Koscielny, Eboue, Gibbs.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).