By Samuel A. February 2, 2025
Arsenal thrashed Manchester City 5-1 at the Emirates Stadium to send themselves back within six points of Liverpool. The Premier League leaders Liverpool had initially raised the pressure by beating Bournemouth on Saturday, but Arsenal offered up a statement victory in reply to pile more misery on the struggling defending champions.
Mikel Arteta’s men took just 103 seconds to open the scoring as Manuel Akanji was caught off guard in possession, allowing Kai Havertz to cut the ball back for Martin Odegaard to pass the ball into the net and give the Gunners an early lead. The visitors did pull level though, when Erling Haaland headed home on the 55th minute from a sumptuous Savinho cross. However, the Gunners restored their lead within seconds when Foden’s pass was intercepted in the final third by Thomas Partey, who moved the ball forward without getting closed down by anybody, before taking a 20-yard shot which took a huge deflection off John Stones.
Arsenal then pulled clear with Lewis-Skelly cutting in from the left side of the area and firing in a third goal just past the hour. The youngster celebrated by doing Erling Haaland’s trademark celebration, to taunt the Manchester City forward after he asked him who he was in the initial leg of the fixture at Etihad.
Havertz rubbed salt in the away side’s wounds with a rasping fourth 14 minutes from time before substitute Ethan Nwaneri curled home in stoppage time as Arteta’s charges laid down a statement of title intent.
The result means second-place Arsenal move to within six points of leaders Liverpool having played a game more. Manchester City are nine points further back in fourth spot, and 15 points below Arne Slot’s Reds, who have played a game fewer.
