This week’s midweek matches are dedicated to the Champions League Round of 16 fixtures. But on Wednesday, the Champions League was merely a sideshow for the ultimate battle between Arsenal and Manchester City for the throne of the Premier League.
Pre-match situation
Arsenal was standing three points ahead of Manchester City in the EPL table, with a game in hand. But a six-point swing in this match could be a deciding factor in the title race, which is why both teams marched onto Emirates Stadium with a must-win mentality.
The Cityzens have never lost to The Gunners in the previous ten matchups. Mikel Arteta and company would love to change that, but he would have to do it without Thomas Partey holding the midfield.
On the other hand, Pep Guardiola had all the best pieces under his sleeves. And in typical Pep fashion, he decided to play Bernardo Silva as a left-back. Was he overthinking again?
Match Summary
First half
With home-field advantage, Arsenal took control of the possession game. Newcomer Jorginho, who started in place of Thomas Partey, looked fluid with the ball alongside skipper Martin Odegaard. Eddie Nketiah had the first big chance following the cross, but the youngster headed wide. Immediately after the miss, Manchester City turned the field for the counter-attack with a long ball from Ederson. The pressure from a City player made Takehiro Tomiyasu fumble the pass backward, which Kevin de Bruyne took full advantage of to score a beautiful opening goal.
Minutes before the first half ended, drama arose. Eddie Nketiah was fouled by Ederson inside the box, and Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot without hesitation. Bukayo Saka calmly sent the Brazillian goalkeeper the wrong way to level the score before the break. A well-balanced first half, with Arsenal controlling the game’s tempo and Manchester City waiting for counter-attacking opportunities.
Second half
Erling Haaland has not scored in the past two games in the Premier League, and he looked more determined than ever. In a one-on-one situation with Gabriel in the 58th minute, he used his long stride to break past the Brazillian, forcing him to foul. But after the VAR check, the Norwegian was in an offside position at the time of the pass.
And Manchester City continued to utilize the beast when Arsenal had yet to have a fair answer to Erling Haaland. Another matchup with Gabriel saw Haaland place the ball to captain Ilkay Gundogan, who set up Jack Grealish for the second goal in the 72nd minute. The City record transfer is having the time of his life after the World Cup break, with his ninth goal contribution in the period.
Ten minutes later, it was the reigning champion again. This time it was the deadly duo of Kevin de Bruyne and Erling Haaland. Following a cross from the Belgium international, Haaland stretched out for a right-footed shot into the bottom corner, sealing the deal for Manchester City.
Eddie Nketiah had a wide-open header in the following minutes to close the margin, but he headed wide again. Match ended 3-1 in favor of the reigning champion Manchester City.
Effect on the title race
With this win, Manchester City is now tied at 51 points with Arsenal, but still playing one more game than the opposition. But any Pep Guardiola side is a formidable long campaigner, showing why he has won many league titles.
On the other hand, Arsenal has failed to win their third straight Premier League fixture after a disappointing loss to Everton and a draw with Brentford. But a chin-up is that they have a game in hand, so the upper hand is technically in their hands. Arsenal could regain the lead when they play equal games with City.
But as the two top teams fought it out, a sneaky new challenger arose. Manchester United, with the brilliance of Marcus Rashford, is on a hot streak and only five points behind the top of the table. If they can continue this form, Erik Ten Hag and company can make this title race a three-way battle.
This season’s Premier League title is the closest it has been since the epic Liverpool-City in the 2018/2019 season. But the question is always which teams can keep their composure and consistency in the long run. Let’s wait it out.
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