Three things we learned as Arsenal defeated Manchester City

1 Arsenal are favourites to win the title. 

In one of the most unusual and unpredictable title races in years. Arsenal may not be the best team of all time — they aren’t even top of the table — but they are still favourites to be crowned champions.

Leicester City have been fantastic all campaign, and in Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, have two of the most in-form players in the league; but nobody truly believes they will have enough to cope with a title run-in and so Arsene Wenger’s side are the team with momentum. They have potentially the best player in the league in Mesut Ozil and, finally, a belief they can do it.

By contrast, Manchester United are slipping backwards, Liverpool have stuttered too much, Chelsea are long gone, and now Manchester City seem to incapable of consistency — or of defending properly for two games in a row. No team has ever won the Premier League title after losing five matches before Christmas — and that’s the position City are in.

2 Petr Cech is pivotal to Arsenal’s challenge.

When John Terry said Cech would be worth 15 points a season to Arsenal a few people scoffed, especially when he began the season with errors. But Terry has been proved right.

Cech’s solidity in goal and his sheer presence behind the Arsenal defence has been hugely important all season — and it was again against City.

Arsenal looked nervy in the final 10 minutes after Yaya Toure scored, but they have discovered a new steel and new belief since Cech’s arrival which them to see those kind of situations out in big games.

The former Chelsea man didn’t have to make too many spectacular saves this time but everything he did was done with confidence and technique. Having a goalkeeper who has won the league before — and beaten the big teams before — is a huge advantage to Arsenal.

3 Yaya Toure needs to be moved forward.

When you see the goal Yaya Toure scored to bring Manchester City back into this match, you have to wonder why on earth he plays so often away from home as a holding midfielder.

At his best, Toure can dominate any team with his power and presence and cause sheer panic in midfield against even the most compact of opponents.

Place him further back, however, and not only is he wasted, but the shape of the team looks wrong. Somehow, he is more sluggish going backwards than he is going forward, and certainly less influential.

For City to be serious title contenders, they need to push Toure forward and make him the fulcrum of their team.