Man City climb to Premier League summit after victory over title rivals Arsenal
CRUCIAL WIN: Manchester City's Jack Grealish celebrates. Pic: Adam Davy/PA Wire.
JACK GREALISH and Erling Haaland sent Manchester City to the top of the Premier League table for the first time since the second weekend of the season as the defending champions made pretenders Arsenal pay for a series of costly defensive mistakes.
Grealish struck in the 72nd minute and Haaland finished Mikel Arteta's side off with less than ten minutes to go.
'CHAMPIONES' sang the jubilant City supporters as they showered deserved praise on their players and celebrating manager Pep Guardiola at the final whistle.
'ARSENAL' sang the defiant home fans in response as they clapped off their side. They can, of course, go three points clear if they win their game in hand but have an inferior goal difference of ten and have lost two of their last three matches.
Arteta's charges still need to go to the Etihad in April too, but City ultimately proved why they were and are always favourites to emerge on top.
The first half alone was worth the hefty admission fee. Top flight football at its finest as the two best teams slugged it out like finely honed heavyweight title contenders. Only a bemused, off-the-pace referee seemed unable to rise to the occasion.
They went into the break level on points, but both bloodied and bruised to the extent their respective cornermen - Arteta and Guardiola would have been glad for the half-time respite.
Arteta would most likely have been the happier as his side recovered from the knock down of a freak Kevin de Bruyne goal to then have City reeling on the canvass from Bukayo Saka's equaliser.
Manchester City keeper Ederson was fortunate not to have been sent off and stand-in left back Bernardo Silva also a caution away from seeing red for a succession of fouls on Saka.
Guardiola's half-time advice carried more weight, however, as City were ultimately good value for their win.
Early on, Eddie Nketiah headed wide from a great chance to give Arsenal a first half lead. Moments later and City were in front courtesy of an under hit Takehiro Tomiyasu back pass and a brilliant first-time finish from De Bruyne. It was a huge error from the Japan international but an equally masterful piece of finishing from City's Belgian midfield maestro.
Arsenal were suddenly a goal down when they could and should have been one in front.
The crowd got straight behind Arsenal and Arteta's side were instantly back on the attack as City went into 'dark arts' overdrive to break up their opponents' play.
Reliably inconsistent referee Anthony Taylor dithered over so many offences of wasting time before he woke up to what was happening in front of his eyes.
The man in black finally broke his seal to book Kyle Walker for the less obvious infringement of returning to the pitch too soon after receiving treatment. Either way, the disruption worked.
The clock had just tuned to 35 minutes gone when goalkeeper Ederson was booked for another ridiculous bout of delaying over a goal kick.
Arsenal would probably have done the same had they been leading, but City were undone when Arsenal equalised through Saka's 42nd minute penalty.
Ederson clattered Nketiah to the ground as he attempted to score and Taylor awarded a penalty, but allowed the Brazil keeper of what seemed an obvious second yellow card offence.
The title showdown was set up perfectly for a second half, but arsenal largely went missing as Grealish got on the end of a free flowing move in which Gabriel was guiltier than most and Tomiyasu assisted with a deflection as he attempted to block the goalscoring shot.
Again the Arsenal crowd tried to stir their wannabe heroes back into the match, but this is the first time they had faced opposition of such quality this season.
City's squad 43 Premier League winners’ medals between them, while Arsenal had eight - all won by the two Manchester City signings Arteta made in the summer.
A body blow, therefore, before a ball was even kicked last night that Gabriel Jesus once again watched from the stands as he continued his laborious return from post-World Cup surgery. The other, Alex Zinchenko could not have such an influence on the match.
Arsenal had been unchanged in their previous six league matches but a late injury to Thomas Partey forced the first of two changes as January signing Jorginho stepped in. Tomiyasu's inclusion ahead of Ben White was purely tactical.
And how Haaland ultimately made them pay with his 26th goal of the season as arsenal's defence again went missing in the 81st minute Guardiola is unbeaten against Arsenal in the Premier League, winning 12 of 13 fixtures - including the six most recent trips to Emirates Stadium.
He will not say the title race is over and nor will Arteta. The supporters, of both teams, might need some convincing.
Ramsdale 7, Tomiyasu 5 (White 83), Saliba 8, Gabriel 7, Zinchenko 7, Odegaard 6, Jorginho 7, Xhaka 6 (Vieira 83), Saka 8, Nketiah 6, Martinelli 6 (Trossard 76).
Turner, Tierney, Kiwior, Holding, Nelson, Cozier-Duberry.
Ederson 5, Walker 6, Ake 6, Dias 6, Rodri 7, Gundogan 6, De Bruyne 7 (Phillips 87), Silva 5 (Akanji 60), Mahrez 6, Grealish 8 (Foden 76), Haaland 7.
Ortega, Laporte, Alvarez, Gomez, Palmer, Lewis.
Anthony Taylor 4
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