City move closer to top spot with emphatic win over Arsenal

Men's Team

City 4-1 Arsenal: Match stats and reaction

Kevin De Bruyne’s seventh minute strike gave Pep Guardiola’s side and a raucous City support an early boost before John Stones’ header on the stroke of half-time doubled the lead.

De Bruyne made it three early in the second period with a measured stroke after turning the ball over in Arsenal’s half.

The Belgian was supplied excellently by Erling Haaland for both of his goals.

Arsenal defender Rob Holding claimed one back in the closing stages to give the visitors a flicker of hope.

However, Haaland completed the scoring in added time by squeezing a left-footed finish under Aaron Ramsdale.

It’s the Norwegian’s 33rd strike of the season and takes him to a 38-game Premier League record, surpassing Mo Salah’s tally of 32 in 2017/18.

The victory completes the league double over our title rivals and extends our excellent Premier League form to nine wins in our last ten matches.

With seven games to go and two games in hand on Arsenal, the destiny of what would be a third successive Premier League title and five in the last six seasons is in our hands.

What happened

The Etihad was raucous ahead of kick-off after the unfurling of two huge, colourful banners – one referencing our former home Maine Road and the other quoting the Fleetwood Mac inspired chant sung at almost every game so far in 2023.

Kevin De Bruyne thought he had an tap-in just three minutes in when goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale parried a cross into his path but the Belgian’s run was blocked by the covering Thomas Partey.

City fans and players asked for a penalty but referee Michael Oliver instead gave the visitors a free-kick.

Just four minutes later De Bruyne took matters into his own hands. Receiving the ball in Arsenal’s half after neat hold up play by Erling Haaland, he drove at the defence and fired a low shot beyond the diving Ramsdale to have the Etihad bouncing.

Arsenal attempted a period of possession after conceding in order to quieten the crowd down but it had little effect, with City holding the league leaders at arms’ length.

Instead, it was Haaland’s poke through to an advancing De Bruyne that created the next clear-cut opportunity. The Belgian twisted inside and out, eventually seeing his shot blocked.

Haaland had a chance of his own moments later, weaving between two defenders inside the box. The shot was not struck as cleanly as the Norwegian would have hoped and Ramsdale was able to make the save.

Arsenal did carve an opening for themselves in the 34^th minute but Partey’s curler from the edge of the box bent around the post.

After a change in tactic from the Gunners, suddenly springing forward into a more aggressive press, Grealish burst in behind the advanced defensive line and squared for Haaland. Our No.9 came forward and used his marker, curling a shot around him but also around the post.

Another golden chance came the way of our lethal striker a few minutes before the break, with his latest attempt kept out by the legs of Ramsdale.

John Stones initially thought he had doubled City’s lead as we entered added time in the first half, heading home a delightful Kevin De Bruyne free-kick.

The assistant’s flag ended celebrations early but after a VAR check, the goal was awarded and City’s players, now back around the halfway line, set off jubilantly in different directions across the pitch.

The second half started as the first had played out, with City in complete control.

The reward for that came in the 53^rd minute when De Bruyne latched on to a loose ball, gave it to Haaland and received it back in the box. He took a touch to settle himself and stroked it beyond Ramsdale.

At that point, Arsenal made changes in personnel and style in an attempt to work their way back into the game.

The visitors did pull one back with a well struck Rob Holding shot in the 86th minute, but that was all they would muster. Instead, it was City who would have the final say.

After being denied so many times by Ramsdale, Haaland got his 49th goal of the season and 33rd in the Premier League with what was effectively the final kick of the game.

His blonde hair flowing after breaking free of its familiar top knotted style, the striker forced the ball home from 12 yards to cap off a special night at the Etihad.

Picture Special

Gallery: Dazzling De Bruyne downs Gunners!

Teams

CITY XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Akanji, Stones, Rodrigo, De Bruyne (Alvarez 80), Gundogan (C) (Mahrez 71), Bernardo, Grealish (Foden 87), Haaland

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Phillips, Laporte, Gomez, Palmer, Lewis

ARSENAL XI: Ramsdale, White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey, Xhaka (Jorginho 59), Odegaard (Smith Rowe 71), Saka (Nelson 80), Martinelli (Trossard 59), Jesus (Nketiah 80)

Subs: Turner, Tierney, Kiwior, Vieira

Pep Guardiola reaction

“Congratulations to all players, staff and backroom staff. It was really important game. We played really good from the beginning to the end.

“Still they are top of the league. I know it can be naïve what I am saying but the reality is we are two points behind. We have two games in hand but they are there, still.

“Of course it was important to beat our rival.

“In the past it was Liverpool and this season since day one we saw they beat Chelsea 5-0. They took 50 points in the first leg.

“They have been our rival. Fortunately in the bad moments we were still there, there there. We make a really good performance again. Really pleased.”

Kevin De Bruyne reaction

“When they played man to man we had to go a bit longer because there was no place for short passes. The first half was really good.

“We could have scored more. The second half was 50-50 but we didn’t give much away. They’re a class team and hard to play against. We had to be at our best today – and we were.”

On Erling Haaland setting him up: “I think we set up a bit differently, instead of two number eights I had the freedom to go left or right depending on where the space was.”

On the title: “It’s too long. We know what people will say. It’s so hard. A lot of things can happen. There are still seven games left – and we’re still behind them [in the table]. People say we will win the title. We won’t give in until it’s mathematical. Our schedule is hectic.”

Man of the match

Kevin De Bruyne – The catalyst to so many City victories on big nights at the Etihad through the years, this was another performance that will surely make his career highlights when the time comes.

Pushed high up the pitch and close to Erling Haaland, De Bruyne was at the centre of everything good about this spectacular performance.

He started the night with a penetrative run and drilled shot that gave us the lead and then turned creator for John Stones on the stroke of half-time.

It was his pressing early in the second half that earned him his second, poking a loose ball to Haaland and bursting forward before seemingly giving himself all the time in the world to find the finish.

His substitution in the 80th minute was the opportunity for a standing ovation that could have hardly been more deserved.

Fan-tastic atmosphere

Pep Guardiola asked the fans to be loud. The capacity Etihad crowd duly delivered.

While visiting players are taught to drown out the noise as much as possible, the sheer energy provided from all four sides of the ground must have had some effect on our early momentum.

It was clear to see from the first minute that everyone of a sky blue persuasion, not least Guardiola himself, was motivated for such an important evening and that enthusiasm was the driving force behind our electric start.

tactical tweaks

When the teams were revealed, there appeared to be no recognised left-back. Manuel Akanji was the player tasked with that role against Bukayo Saka, one of Arsenal’s leading lights this season.

The Swiss international excelled, even contributing in advanced areas.

Further forward, Rodrigo and Ilkay Gundogan shared a deeper midfield berth while Kevin De Bruyne was as close to Haaland as possible at the top end of the pitch.

Guardiola has not been afraid to alter his formerly favoured 4-3-3 this season in a number of different ways.

By pushing De Bruyne further forward and more central, our boss found the formula to get the best out of the Belgian and Haaland in this one.

What it means

City are now just two points behind leaders Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with two games in hand on Mikel Arteta’s side.

We have seven fixtures remaining with 73 points, while the Gunners, on 75, have just five left to play.

What’s next

There’s no rest for Pep Guardiola’s side, with a trip to Fulham on Sunday 30 April. That is a 14:00 (UK) kick-off at Craven Cottage.

This busy week comes in the middle of an intense run of fixtures through April and May that has already seen us reach the semi-finals of the Champions League and through to the FA Cup final.