Haaland hits winner as Man City down Arsenal to seize title momentum

Arsenal produced their best performance in weeks but it was not enough

Erling Haaland scored a 65th minute winner for Manchester City against Arsenal. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

Premier League: Manchester City 2 Arsenal 1 

Shrewd street traders outside the Etihad were selling bottled water rebranded as 'Arsenal tears' before the game billed as a Premier League decider. It will have tasted like sweet champagne to those Manchester City fans who shelled out a fiver.

If Pep Guardiola's side win at relegation-haunted Burnley on Wednesday night they will take over from the long-time leaders at the top of the table with just five games left to play.

Mikel Arteta's team produced arguably their best performance, at home and abroad, in weeks. But still it wasn't enough. Erling Haaland scored a 65th-minute winner for the Blues after Rayan Cherki's spectacular first-half opener for the Mancunians had been cancelled out by something of a Kai Havertz fluke.

It was a compelling clash between England's two best teams. But City have a habit of coming good at the time of year when Arsenal are turning into April fools.

Rory McIlroy showed at Augusta last weekend that true champions go again. Have the Gunners got the same winning mentality as the back-to-back Masters champion?

When Haaland was a fraction late in closing down David Raya and the Spaniard hacked his clearance into touch it was a sign that time would be of the essence even for both goalkeepers.

City's forceful start saw Cherki hit the inside of the post with a shot that brushed off the top of Gabriel Maghalaes' arm.

But when Cherki next got to look into the whites of Raya's eyes, in the 16th minute, it brought a goal of sheer beauty.

The Frenchman looked up to see a packed Arsenal penalty area when Matheus Nunes chested the ball down to him. But in an instant, Cherki had cut inside Gabriel and outside Declan Rice before then looking up to spear a shot into the far corner as William Saliba failed with a last-ditch slide.

Within 90 seconds the sublime turned to the ridiculous.

Gianluigi Donnarumma is one of the world's best, but the Italian's use of his feet is questionable. His poor first touch to control Nunes' throw-in invited Havertz to close him down and the German stuck out a boot to get a touch that took the ball flying into the top corner.

City's response saw Antoine Semenyo slip when Haaland's pass appeared to put him through on goal. Marc Guehi's header was clutched by Raya and Piero Hincapie's block denied Semenyo.

But Arsenal weren't permanently on the back foot and it took a vital clearance by Abdukodir Khusanov to prevent Havertz from meeting Madueke's cross.

Haaland struck the outside of the post at the start of the second half after Khusanov's effort had been blocked by Gabriel.

Just before the hour came Arsenal's chance. Guehi was dispossessed by half-time substitute Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard freed Havertz, but Donnarumma redeemed himself with a brilliant save.

Seconds later, Eberechi Eze worked a yard of space on the edge of City's box to send a left-footed drive past Donnarumma that bounced off the inside of the post.

City appeared vulnerable. But they were back in front in the 65th minute when Martinelli failed to track Nico O'Reilly and after the youngster had exchanged passes with Doku, his cross fell for Haaland to hold off Gabriel to sweep a low shot past Raya from 10 yards.

It was Haaland's 34th goal of the season.

City had a let-off when Gabriel's header flicked off O'Reilly and bounced back off the post.

Arsenal were fortunate not to have Gabriel sent off seven minutes from time when the Brazilian clearly thrust his head into Haaland's face after a tangle. Both players were given yellow cards but the visitors got away with one.

The drama continued. In the fifth minute of time added on, Havertz rose to meet substitute Leandro Trossard's cross but scraped the roof of the net with his header.

The celebrations at the final whistle spoke volumes in many ways than one.

MAN CITY(4-2-3-1): Donnarumma 6; Nunes 7, Khusanov 7, Guehi 7, O'Reilly 8; Rodrigo 7 (Gonzalez 6), Silva 8; Semenyo 5 (Ake 96), Cherki 7 (Foden 85), Doku 7 (Savinho 88); Haaland 7.

ARSENAL (4-5-1): Raya 6; Mosquera 6 (White 74, 6), Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Hincapie 5; Madueke 5 (Martinelli 46, 5), Odegaard 6, Zubimendi 6 (Gyokeres 84), Rice 6, Eze 6 (Trossard 74, 6); Havertz 7.

Referee: Anthony Taylor.