Since first playing Arsenal at Highbury earlier this season I have thought they were the best team that we would come across on our return to the Premiership - and Saturday's result just served to reinforce that belief.

Arsene Wenger's side has quality wherever you look on the field and they imposed their presence on us from the start.

We were 4-0 down after the first 20 minutes and, realistically, the game was over at that point. They added one more just after the break and although Nicolas Anelka pulled one back, it came in the 87th minute and had no bearing on the result.

The first goal was scored by Dennis Bergkamp after just four minutes and I remember thinking while I sat on the bench in my role as substitute ‘This is not what we need'.

I had thought all along that if we got a draw against them that would represent a good result, but conceding so early really made things difficult and it was an uphill struggle from then on.

By the time Sol Campbell made it 4-0 in the 19th minute it was almost as if Arsenal could do what they want with us when they wanted and it began to feel as if this was going to be the longest 90 minutes I had ever had to sit through.

If we had held out a little longer I still don't think we would have won, but the score might have been a little more respectable.

Arsenal are an exceptional team - quality players who play for each other.

Sometimes you have a group of individuals who don't gel as a team, but Arsenal's players have both qualities.

Although I am a City player and obviously did not like to see us concede goals in the manner in which we did, I must admit that I had to admire Thierry Henry's goal after 15 minutes - at least on the inside. You just had to take your hat off to him.

A long ball was played diagonally and he pulled it down with one foot as he was running, let it bounce and then hit it on the volley into the far corner. I just thought that it was sheer class and I think even some of our fans would have appreciated the quality.Whether he is the best player in England or not I am not sure, but I'll say this much, it would have to be someone from Arsenal.

A lot of people might say that Henry is the dangerman for the Gunners, but Saturday's match was proof, if it was needed, that they have so many people who can cause opposing teams trouble. Five different players - Bergkamp, Robert Pires, Henry, Campbell and Patrick Vieira - representing all areas of the team - strikers, midfield and defence - got on the scoresheet.

That is a level that everyone else can only try and achieve. For many seasons it was Manchester United, but now Arsenal are the ones saying to everyone else ‘Hey, we are the benchmark'. We have a very good team, but at City the responsibility falls more on certain players, such as Eyal Berkovic. We just don't have the number of options that Arsenal have.

At half-time the manager was unhappy with a number of players. He knew that there was no way back into the match and, for him, it was really a case of saying ‘Roll your sleeves up and put in a second half performance that will enable you to come away with some pride. Show that you care for the club and for the fans'.

To a certain degree, even though we conceded another goal eight minutes after the restart, we did that. Our second-half performance was much better but unfortunately not only did Arsenal have 1o outfield players playing at the top of their game, they also had a goalkeeper in inspired form.

Stuart Taylor is Arsenal's third choice ‘keeper but he pulled off several excellent saves to deny Robbie Fowler and Nicolas. In fact I have never known a team end up losing 5-1 when they have had so many chances.

The gaffer said after the game that he would make us watch the first 20 minutes again on video so we could see just why we were beaten in the way we were.

Personally, I think that is a good idea. Most players would want to forget about such a match as soon as possible and get on with the next one, but it's good to see where you went wrong so that you can hopefully put it right in the future.

At 1-0 or 2-0 down we should perhaps have tried to consolidate more, instead of going ‘attack, attack, attack'. Midfield maybe should have pulled in and the defence got tighter to make it more difficult for them to penetrate.

But because we continued to push forward we left the space for them to run into. At times we had the ball on their byline and within five seconds it was down the other end and they were bearing down on our goal.

Even at 3-0 you can pull a goal back and make it 3-1 or even get back to 3-2, but at 4-0 you are almost willing the referee to blow the whistle to bring it to an end.

I am due to play in the reserves later tonight against Bolton. The match is to be played down the road at Third Division Bury's Gigg Lane ground and am to be paired up front with Jon Macken.

It will be good to get a run-out as I have not played for four weeks since the game against Newcastle.

Since then I have played for ten or 15 minutes and that is no good for retaining your match fitness.

People think because you train every day you should have no problem when you get recalled, but training is not the same as playing in a competitive match.

My inactivity has come about because of Robbie's arrival at Maine Road. As a result I have found myself on the bench in recent games.

Some players might get disheartened, training all week but not getting to play on a Saturday, but I think differently.

I know that it only takes an injury or loss of form to one of those in the starting line-up and I could be back in.

On Sunday, one of my fellow forwards, Paulo Wanchope was injured on the training ground. The physio thought it looked serious and there are fears that he may have dislocated his shoulder. If so he could be out for some time.

Paulo is not in the first team yet, as he is still on the way back from long term injury, but the incident serves to illustrate the point that you just never know what lies around the corner.