Arsenal show their mettle to leave City reeling

Arsenal ended their away hoodoo against Premier League title challengers with a 2-0 victory at Manchester City on Sunday that left Chelsea five points clear at the top.

Santi Cazorla gave Arsenal the lead from the penalty spot in the 24th minute, after returning City skipper Vincent Kompany felled Nacho Monreal, and Olivier Giroud doubled the lead in the 67th minute with a deft header.

City included Sergio Aguero in the starting lineup, after a month-long injury absence, but the Argentine was largely anonymous against a vastly improved Arsenal defence.

The result lifted Arsenal to fifth on 39 points and one behind Manchester United in fourth.

The end of second-placed City's 12-match unbeaten run left them on 47 points to Chelsea's 52 with their next league outing a daunting trip to Stamford Bridge on Jan. 31.

European hopefuls West Ham United earlier revived their push for a top four finish with a 3-0 victory over relegation-threatened Hull City at Upton Park.

The result sent the Hammers up to seventh with 36 points from 22 games, just four behind Manchester United. Struggling Hull are 18th, level with Queens Park Rangers and just two points above bottom-of-the-table Leicester City.

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