The Premier League leaders hosted Arsenal on Remembrance Sunday and both sides paid tribute to British war victims with a minute's silence after Manchester City's all-time record goalscorer was also applauded by the home fans. Having broken the club's goals record in midweek, Sergio Aguero picked up an award before running out to attempt to extend his legacy at the Etihad.
The Argentine fired his first warning three minutes in. City broke in numbers and the ball was finally worked to Aguero who sliced his effort over the bar, but it was a statement of intent from the hosts who piled six bodies in the opposition box from a counter-attack.
The Gunners started the fixture well, finding space in City's half when on the front foot. Both teams were committed to attack and it was not long before the chances began to arrive at both ends. The hosts should have gone ahead when Leroy Sane squared the ball across the face of goal for Sterling to tap into the empty net, but the winger was inches away from making contact.
The breathless opening minutes came to a recess when Guardiola's men settled on the ball in their own half, and that is when De Bruyne pounced. The Belgian's initial flash-shot was cleared by Petr Cech but only as far as a City player. De Bruyne again picked up the ball, played a neat one-two with Fernandinho, and fired into the bottom corner with his left foot.
It was a huge blow for Arsenal who looked stunned and unable to respond as City's dominance grew further. Wenger's men desperately tried to break forward, but they were repeatedly dispossessed in the final third, allowing the home side to counter-attack dangerously.
Wenger grew frustrated on the touchline, but his team had their moments and almost put an end to an action-packed first half with a goal to draw level late in stoppage time, but Ederson was equal to Aaron Ramsey's strike low into the near post.
City continued to stretch and strangle the away side, who were unlucky to have a penalty given against them minutes after half-time. Sterling ran in behind Monreal and the Spaniard tripped him up inside the box. Referee Michael Oliver had no doubt and Aguero sent his finish into the net after hitting the right post.
Wenger was forced to revert to a back-four formation as he brought on Lacazette and the Frenchman made an instant impact, first by getting booked and moments later when he fired the ball through Ederson's legs to take advantage of City dropping off to cut the deficit in half.
But the hosts were far from dead and they restored their initial intensity levels to pile pressure on Cech's goal. Gabriel Jesus had a go at the far post but the keeper went down well to save. However, the Brazilian could not miss when David Silva squared the ball for him to finish from six yards, leaving the Arsenal players enraged as the replay showed Silva was half a yard offside.
Having regained their two-goal lead, City once again kept possession comfortably. Arsenal slowly capitulated to what just may be the Premier League champions, as the home crowd began to chant 'Oles' while they played keep-ball with the sorry Gunners.