Arsenal deliver commanding 5-1 victory against Man City to set EPL title race alive
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium overpowered Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City after delivering a resounding 5-1 victory to boost their title race chance.
The Gunners snatched an early victory advantage after Martin Ødegaard capitalised on a defensive lapse by City, slotting the ball past goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
Despite Erling Haaland equalising with a powerful header in the 55th minute, Arsenal’s response was swift and decisive after midfielder Thomas Partey restored his team lead with a precise strike, followed by a goal from youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly, who celebrated by mimicking Haaland’s signature pose—a nod to a previous encounter between the two players.
Kai Havertz extended the lead, and Nwaneri capped off the performance with a fifth goal, securing a memorable victory for the home side.
“The Hale End graduate, who only made his debut in the away fixture against this opposition earlier this season, is still just 18. The celebrations were in glorious, stark contrast to last weekend – when he was controversially sent off at Wolves.
“It got even better with 15 minutes remaining. Partey launched a rapid counterattack, deep in our own half, with a perfect pass for the onrushing Gabriel Martinelli. He took it on into the box, where Havertz was overlapping. Martinelli’s pass slipped him in on goal, and this time his finish was unerring, low into the corner,” a statement on the website read.
This emphatic win narrows the gap between Arsenal and league leaders Liverpool to six points, intensifying the title race.
“Parity lasted less than two minutes. Foden’s loose pass in midfield was intercepted by Partey, who had time and space outside the area to wind up for his shot. His effort was goalbound, but a deflection off the back of John Stones took it past the keeper and inside the post. The Emirates erupted again,” the club’s post-match report also noted.
Manchester City, on the other hand, faces the prospect of dropping out of the top four if Chelsea secures a win in their upcoming match, marking a significant downturn in form for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Source: PUNCH
