Arsenal Thrash Manchester City 5-1 to Keep Title Hopes Alive
Arsenal delivered a dominant performance in the Premier League title race on Sunday, crushing defending champions Manchester City 5-1 to move within six points of league leaders Liverpool.
Captain Martin Ødegaard set the tone with a second-minute goal, and the Gunners ran riot in the second half, with teenagers Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri among the scorers in a stunning display at the Emirates Stadium.
Erling Haaland briefly revived City’s hopes with a 55th-minute equalizer—his 250th senior career goal—but Arsenal responded ruthlessly, ensuring City’s bid for a fifth consecutive title faded further into the distance.
Arsenal extended their unbeaten league run to 14 matches, reaching 50 points from 24 games, while leaders Liverpool remain on 56 from 23. City, now a distant fourth with 41 points, saw their six-game unbeaten run come to an emphatic end.
Unlike previous matches where Arsenal were criticized for relying on set-piece goals, they played with fluidity and attacking brilliance.
“It was a top game, a top performance, and with the fans and the atmosphere, it couldn’t be better. We got what we deserved,” Ødegaard said.
City defender John Stones admitted their late-game collapse was unacceptable.
“It is difficult. None of us take losing well,” Stones said. “The way we played in the last 30 minutes was not acceptable.”
Arsenal capitalized on City’s defensive lapses early on. A miscommunication between Stones and Manuel Akanji gifted Kai Havertz the chance to set up Ødegaard for the opener. Moments later, Gabriel Martinelli thought he had doubled the lead, only to be ruled offside.
City survived another scare when Havertz squandered a clear chance, but Haaland’s well-placed header from a Savinho cross briefly threatened an equal contest.
However, Arsenal regained control just 38 seconds later when Thomas Partey’s deflected shot caught Stefan Ortega off guard. With momentum fully on their side, Lewis-Skelly slotted home a third, Havertz redeemed himself with a clinical finish, and Nwaneri capped off the rout with a superb curling strike.
