Arsenal delivered a stunning performance at the Emirates Stadium, overpowering Manchester City 5-1 and sending a clear message to Liverpool that the Premier League title race is far from over.
This dominant victory not only avenged their earlier 2-2 draw at the Etihad but also showcased Arsenal’s growing title credentials.
The Gunners wasted no time, taking the lead within the first 103 seconds.
Leandro Trossard intercepted a loose pass from City defender Manuel Akanji near the edge of his own box, quickly feeding Declan Rice.
Rice then found Kai Havertz, who squared it to Martin Ødegaard, and the Norwegian finished calmly into the net.
Remarkably, this was only the fourth successful pass Arsenal made before Ødegaard scored.
Havertz should have doubled Arsenal’s lead in the 26th minute after another defensive blunder from City.
A poor pass from City’s Phil Foden was intercepted by Rice, and Havertz had the chance to pick his spot but narrowly missed the post with his shot.
The Gunners held onto their lead until the 55th minute when Erling Haaland headed in an equalizer for City.
Savinho’s brilliant cross, following a smooth City passing move, found Haaland, who guided the ball over David Raya and into the net.
The goal marked Haaland’s 250th career goal, but it would be City’s only shot of the game.
Arsenal regained the lead just two minutes later.
Thomas Partey’s long-range shot took a significant deflection off John Stones, leaving City keeper Stefan Ortega helpless.
The goal came after Partey intercepted a loose pass from Foden, punishing City for their mistakes.
The lead was soon extended when 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly scored his first-ever Premier League goal.
The young midfielder cut inside the box and struck a powerful shot past Ortega.
At just 18 years and 129 days old, Lewis-Skelly became Arsenal’s fourth-youngest scorer in the Premier League, joining the likes of Ethan Nwaneri, Cesc Fàbregas, and Serge Gnabry.
Arsenal added a fourth in the 76th minute after a lightning-fast counterattack.
Gabriel Martinelli found Havertz with a perfectly timed pass, and the German slotted home his 15th goal of the season. This was a personal best for Havertz in a Premier League campaign.
In added time, Ethan Nwaneri capped off Arsenal’s brilliant performance with a spectacular curling strike, making it 5-1 and sealing an unforgettable win.
This victory extends Arsenal’s unbeaten run to 14 Premier League matches (W9 D5), with the Gunners now accumulating the most points of any team since Matchday 11 (32). This marks their longest unbeaten streak under Mikel Arteta, a feat not seen since Unai Emery’s tenure in 2018.
For Manchester City, the loss leaves them nine points behind Arsenal and 15 behind Liverpool, with one more game played.
Their hopes of winning a fifth consecutive Premier League title appear to be slipping away, while Arsenal continue to build momentum and look increasingly capable of closing the gap to Liverpool and potentially claiming their first league title since 2004.
With Arsenal’s attack firing and their defense solid, the Premier League title race is set to heat up in the coming months, and the Gunners are poised to be serious contenders.
