MANCHESTER : A Kevin De Bruyne-inspired Manchester Metropolis struck a hammer blow within the Premier League title race as they outclassed leaders Arsenal 4-1 with an electrifying show in a seismic conflict of the highest two on the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
Pep Guardiola’s relentless facet ran riot as they made it 12 successive league wins in opposition to Arsenal with a masterful De Bruyne scoring twice and Erling Haaland additionally on course as Metropolis seized management of their future.
De Bruyne fired Metropolis forward within the seventh minute from Haaland’s move and the hosts bombarded Arsenal’s purpose earlier than John Stones deservedly doubled their lead with a header in first half stoppage time.
Arsenal, who started the conflict 5 factors clear however having drawn three successive video games, appeared powerless to cease the onslaught and when De Bruyne struck once more early within the second half it grew to become a damage-limitation operation for the leaders.
Rob Holding grabbed an 86th-minute comfort but it surely was too little too late for Mikel Arteta’s facet and Metropolis now look agency favourites to assert a fifth title in six seasons.
Haaland lastly acquired on the scoresheet in stoppage time for his forty ninth purpose of the season in all competitions — probably the most by a top-flight participant in England since Clive Allen in 1986-87.
Metropolis’s seventh successive league win left them with 73 factors to Arsenal’s 75, however crucially they’ve performed two fewer video games than the Londoners whose hopes of a primary title since 2004 now look forlorn after 4 video games and not using a win.
Guardiola’s Metropolis have trailed Arsenal for nearly the whole season however will go high in the event that they beat Fulham on the weekend.
“We all know what individuals will say but it surely’s so arduous and loads of issues can occur,” De Bruyne instructed BT Sport.
“It is seven video games nonetheless to go, plenty of factors, and we’re nonetheless two factors behind Arsenal. Our schedule is hectic, there are loads of issues happening we’ve to arrange for Sunday.”
A harmful April took the wind out of Arsenal’s sails however a primary league win over Metropolis since 2015 would have put them put them again in control of the race.
In contrast to in opposition to backside Southampton in Friday’s frenetic 3-3 draw they acquired by way of the opening minute with out conceding.
However the writing was on the wall as Haaland and De Bruyne started to mix to devastating impact.
Haaland confirmed nice energy to regulate a excessive ball and ship de Bruyne racing away with a neat move and the Belgian superior earlier than nonchalantly curling a shot contained in the put up.
ARSENAL FRAGILITY
Metropolis sensed Arsenal’s fragility and went for the jugular, tearing by way of the guests traces at will.
De Bruyne appeared poised for a carbon copy of his opener as Arsenal’s high-line defence was once more caught out however this time his shot was blocked. Minutes later Ramsdale denied Haaland because the Norwegian bullied his method by way of extra flimsy defending.
Haaland pressured one other sharp save from Ramsdale earlier than Arsenal lastly threatened with Thomas Partey capturing broad.
The onslaught continued although and Haaland thought he had scored solely to see his left-footed shot flash broad earlier than but once more forcing a save from Ramsdale.
Had Arsenal reached halftime a purpose down it might have felt like a psychological victory, however Stones rose to go in De Bruyne’s deadly supply in stoppage time.
The purpose was initially dominated offside however a VAR verify confirmed Stones was performed on by a bit of Ben White’s foot.
If Arsenal nonetheless harboured any hopes of salvaging one thing they vanished within the 54th minute when Haaland fed De Bruyne for an additional silky end previous Ramsdale.
“I do not suppose they had been scared, however the best way we began the sport, we put ourselves in hassle,” Arteta stated. “If you come right here it’s good to be at your finest. At the moment we had been removed from that.”
Treble-chasing Metropolis throttled again and Arsenal gave their followers some cheer when Holding fired in from the sting of the realm.
However Haaland had the final chortle as Metropolis, who’re within the FA Cup last and face Actual Madrid within the Champions League semis, made it 28 factors from the final 30 on supply.