Arsenal crush Man City, close gap on Liverpool in title race

Arsenal kept their Premier League title hopes alive with a resounding 5-1 victory over Manchester City on Sunday, closing the gap on league leaders Liverpool to six points—though Jurgen Klopp’s side still have a game in hand.

In a clash between the league’s top two teams from the past two seasons, Arsenal took full advantage of City’s recent struggles.

The Gunners were handed a dream start inside two minutes when Manuel Akanji lost possession, allowing Kai Havertz to set up Martin Ødegaard for an easy finish.

Havertz then squandered a golden opportunity to double Arsenal’s lead, highlighting their ongoing search for a clinical goalscorer. That miss threatened to be costly when Erling Haaland powered in a header early in the second half—his 250th career club goal—to bring City level.

However, the defending champions’ frailties were exposed just 105 seconds later as Thomas Partey’s deflected strike off John Stones restored Arsenal’s lead.

Myles Lewis-Skelly, who would have been suspended if his controversial red card against Wolves last weekend hadn’t been overturned, capitalized on his reprieve by curling in a stunning third goal—his first for the club.

The 18-year-old made his moment even more memorable by mimicking Haaland’s signature meditation celebration, a response to the Norwegian’s “stay humble” remark to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta following their heated 2-2 draw in September.

Havertz added a fourth with a composed low finish into the far corner, as Arsenal repeatedly sliced through City’s defence on the counter-attack.

The humiliation was complete when another Arsenal teenager, Ethan Nwaneri, curled in a stoppage-time strike to seal the emphatic win.

The defeat leaves Manchester City still in fourth place but now 15 points adrift of the top, all but ending their hopes of a fifth consecutive Premier League title.