Sven: We'll be players not kickers

Manchester City's players may still be learning each other's names after being plucked from the pick'n'mix counter, but give credit where it is due. This team can play.

Frantic finish: Fabregas celebrates after securing the points late on for Arsenal

Their starting line-up at the Emirates Stadium contained three Englishmen, two Irishmen, a German, Spaniard, Belgian, Brazilian, Bulgarian and a Dane. If you are Eriksson, he would have you believe that it was a Great Dane.

Pass and move is a long-forgotten phrase in the Premier League, but any team who attempt to play Arsenal at their own game are either brave or brainless.

Eriksson has built a team who are easy on the eye and put finesse ahead of brute force, style above strength and discipline over the staple diet of discord and discontent that City's supporters have become accustomed to over the past 30 years.

So what happened with England, then?

"That is history, it is over," said Eriksson.

Let sleeping dogs lie and all that. Well, at least this team are alive and kicking.

They were top of the table when they arrived at Arsenal and although Eriksson suffered his first defeat as City manager, he has assembled a team who could be within touching distance of the top four when the trophies are handed out in May.

"We didn't come to Arsenal to sit back," said Eriksson. "We want to try to play football. I don't have a team that can kick, I have footballers.

"We have some tough central defenders — Micah Richards and Richard Dunne — but we want to play.

"I saw City only on television last season, but I knew that Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha were good players."

Dunne, who has undergone a quite remarkable summer transformation, and Richards, are the backbone of the team.

They breed confidence for such as Elano, Vedran Corluka, Javier Garrido and Martin Petrov to unpick the opposition but Arsenal, at home, were their equal.

Cesc Fabregas's special strike 10 minutes from time separated the two teams, but Arsenal were given a thorough workout.

"Richards and Dunne were outstanding," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

"I must say I was really impressed with them. Players like Michael Johnson and Stephen Ireland are good players.

"Those four could play in any team, but they have added some good players to the squad. Elano was good, he can always create something and Petrov is the same, but we kept him quiet.

"If you can find 11 top players who want the same thing then it doesn't matter which country they're from. When you are top level, the most important thing is that you want to make the most of your talent.

"To find that blend is not easy, but then you have to create a common culture. You can create that when people come from a different country, but it is easier when people come from the same country."

That will certainly never apply to any Arsenal team selected by Wenger.

Famously, he never checks the passports of the players when he signs them.

Gilberto, recalled to the side as a lastminute replacement for the injured Philippe Senderos, burned as bright as a Belisha beacon at the heart of Arsenal's defence and Manuel Almunia, making his first Premier League start since a 3-0 victory over Liverpool in November 2006, will give Jens Lehmann a run for his money when he returns from injury.

Nine nationalities, from Brazil to Belarus, Cameroon to Croatia, eventually found a way through when Fabregas latched on to Alexander Hleb's pass and the Spaniard beat Kasper Schmeichel.

City's keeper has a growing band of admirers, not least his illustrious father Peter, and his penalty save from Robin van Persie appeared to have earned Eriksson's side a point.

"There were shades of the 1999 FA Cup semi-final replay about his save, when Schmeichel Snr saved brilliantly from Dennis Bergkamp, but he can consider himself unfortunate to finish on the losing side.

Beaten at last: Schmeichel can't bear to look after Arsenal's late winner

Schmeichel Snr, who confirmed that his son has desires on a place in the Denmark national team and will spurn any advances from England, said: "If Kasper wants my advice he asks me, but otherwise I leave him to it.

"In the last two weeks, I've played a big part but only because he has been playing against Arsenal and United. I've been talking to him about playing on big occasions.

"It's not my intention to become a coach or an adviser, I'm just trying to keep Kasper's two feet on the ground.

"He's not flash, he concentrates very well and I think that's the key to being a good goalkeeper. You need to be there and be reliable to your team. They trust him.' So does Eriksson and even though they slipped off their lofty Premier League perch, the weekend was not all bad.

Despite the setback, City are still above rivals United. And that's all that counts.

ARSENAL (4-4-2): Almunia 7; Sagna 6 (Denilson 19min, 6) Toure 7, Gilberto 8, Clichy 7; Rosicky 6, Fabregas 7, Flamini 7, Hleb 7; Adebayor (Eduardo 75), Van Persie 6 (Song 87).

MANCHESTER CITY (4-4-2): Schmeichel 7; Corluka 7, Dunne 7, Richards 7, Garrido 6; Ireland 7 (Ball 87), Hamann 6, Johnson 6, Petrov 7; Elano 6 (Geovanni 75, 6), Mpenza 6 (Bianchi 75, 5). Booked: Hamann.

Man of the match: Gilberto.

Referee: Chris Foy.