Man City vs Arsenal: Eric Garcia scare overshadows reassuring return to normality at Etihad

Man City 3-0 Arsenal: Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden scored but Pep Guardiola was left concerned after the Spanish defender was clattered by Ederson

Manchester City win, Arsenal lose and David Luiz has an evening to forget. Back to normality, you might say.

In these unprecedented times, there was something reassuringly familiar about Luiz’s calamitous 25-minute cameo at the Etihad last night, which resulted in the first goals, the first red card and the gifted the first three points of Project Restart.

Raheem Sterling’s breakthrough, Kevin De Bruyne’s penalty – both the product of Luiz errors – and a late Phil Foden goal were enough to secure a routine victory for the defending Premier League champions and delay Liverpool's coronation. Jurgen Klopp's side now cannot win the title in Sunday’s Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

The evening was only overshadowed by a potentially serious head injury suffered by teenage centre-half Eric Garcia, who was stretchered off the pitch with his neck in a brace after colliding with his own goalkeeper Ederson during the closing stages. Garcia was conscious in the dressing room after the final whistle but was taken to hospital to undergo tests.

Otherwise, City enjoyed themselves as much as possible in the eerie confines of an empty home ground. This was billed as a meeting of master and apprentice, but it became a reminder of how much Mikel Arteta has to learn. If he is to remould Arsenal in Pep Guardiola’s image, this is the high, exacting standard they must reach.

City celebrate after De Bruyne scores from the spot (Getty)

Arteta’s gameplan was, in fairness, disrupted by injury. Both Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari had to be replaced with apparent muscle problems in the opening 25 minutes. Without them, perhaps Luiz would not have been introduced, his game-changing would not have broken Arsenal's resolve and defeat would have been avoided.

Perhaps. But even in the early stages, when both sides were clearly shaking off the rust that gathers after three months without football, City were the more comfortable and coherent side in possession.

Bernd Leno, the Arsenal goalkeeper, was forced to bail his defence out on several occasions towards the end of the first half, denying both David Silva and Riyad Mahrez in quick succession. One smart dash off his line also proved enough to fluster Sterling, who lifted De Bruyne’s through ball over Leno and the crossbar.

Then came Luiz’s decisive contributions. Sterling’s opening goal, scored on the cusp of half time, only came about after the Brazilian failed in his attempt to intercept a raking De Bruyne pass, instead letting it deflect off his knee and run behind him. Leno again attempted to come out and smother, but Sterling's finish from close range was emphatic.

If Luiz's could blame the wet and slippery conditions for the first, he had fewer excuses for the second. Just four minutes after the interval, he was at fault again when he pulled Mahrez back as the winger cut in from inside-right channel and into the penalty area. As use of the hands is deemed a deliberate foul, referee Anthony Taylor had little choice but to dismiss him.

With that, Luiz's Arsenal career could be over. If negotiations to extend his stay beyond the end of the month prove unsuccessful, he could struggle to return in time to play for Arteta again. And though an authoritative defender on , these are the displays that Ar supporters will not miss.

David Luiz walks off after a red card against City (Getty)

De Bruyne converted from the spot and, with that, Arsenal's strange unbeaten league record stretching back to New Year's Day - with as many draws as wins - ended.

Whatever secret weaknesses Arteta learned of while working under Guardiola, he could not exploit them. The visitors managed just three shots at Ederson’s goal, none of them on target.

That may help explain the City goalkeeper’s rustiness when rushing out late on and mistiming to collide with Garcia. There was significant concern for the teenager, who Guardiola trusted to start alongside Aymeric Laporte in defence, with John Stones left out of the match day squad.

The lengthy treatment he received led to 11 minutes of added-on time, all told. Foden scored in the first of them, slipping past Leno after Sterling’s through pass to crown a dominant win, albeit one that came with worries for Garcia.