Key Takeaways
- Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-1 to move within three points of the league leaders.
- City can go top on Wednesday if they win their game in hand at Burnley.
- Erling Haaland scored the late winner after Cherki and Havertz had traded first-half goals.
Manchester City have dragged the Premier League title fight back into their own hands with a breath-taking 2-1 victory over Arsenal at a rocking Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s side, top for only six days all season, now sit just three points behind the Gunners and will overhaul them if they beat bottom-club Burnley in mid-week.
The match burst into life inside 20 minutes. French teenager Rayan Cherki collected the ball on the right, ghosted past centre-back Gabriel and slipped a low shot past David Raya to give City the lead.
Arsenal’s reply was almost instant. Kai Havertz chased a lost cause, forced a mistake from stand-in keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and rolled in the equaliser 108 seconds later.
The pace never dropped. After the break Haaland smacked the post, Havertz was denied by Donnarumma and Eberechi Eze also struck the woodwork as the visitors pushed for a precious second.
Yet it was City who found the decisive goal. A sweeping move ended with 19-year-old midfielder Nico O’Reilly driving forward and teeing up Haaland, who swept home with 20 minutes left.
Arsenal’s frustration boiled over when Gabriel clashed with Haaland and was lucky to escape a red card.
Mikel Arteta admitted the loss hurts but urged his players to focus on the final five matches. “We lost an opportunity today, but the biggest one is still there,” he said.
Guardiola praised both teams for a classic contest. “They are so aggressive, one of the most competitive sides I have faced,” he told reporters. “Now we recover and go again at Burnley.”