Key Takeaways
- Arsenal lost 2-1 at Manchester City after spurning several clear chances.
- Kai Havertz missed a last-gasp header that could have stolen a point.
- The Gunners still lead by three points but City have a game in hand.
Mikel Arteta sank to his knees at the Etihad as Kai Havertz nodded wide in the 95th minute. That picture will haunt Arsenal supporters who saw their team create enough to take something from the champions, yet leave with nothing.
City struck first through Rayan Cherki’s curling effort, but Havertz levelled when he charged down Gianluigi Donnarumma’s clearance and the ball ricocheted in. parity lasted only until the 65th minute, when Erling Haaland shrugged off Gabriel Magalhaes and swept home the winner.
Arsenal hit the woodwork twice – Eberechi Eze from distance and Gabriel Martinelli with a header – and Havertz failed to convert a one-on-one before his late miss. The visitors have now dropped five points in their last three away fixtures, a slip that invites City back into the race.
Arteta started Havertz up front again, leaving club-record buy Viktor Gyokeres on the bench. The German’s all-round work is useful, yet his two big misses underlined the squad’s shortage of a cold-blooded finisher. Gyokeres has 18 goals in all competitions, but only three have come against current top-six sides.
Expected-goals data show Arsenal sixth for open-play threat, behind both City and Chelsea. Former Gunner Gaël Clichy told BBC Radio 5 Live the team now “hope for a set-piece” rather than “take risks to create”.
Despite the defeat, Arsenal’s fate remains in their hands. Win all five remaining matches and the title is theirs. Yet with City breathing down their necks and goal-difference likely to matter, Arteta must rediscover his side’s cutting edge quickly.