Arsenal 1-3 Manchester City: Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne and Jack Grealish score as Pep Guardiola’s side go top
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Updated 16/02/2023 at 07:09 GMT
Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland scored the goals as Manchester City beat Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates to move top of the Premier League on goal difference. City took the lead through De Bruyne but Bukayo Saka sent the teams to the interval all square. However, second-half strikes from Grealish and Haaland gave City a crucial win in the title race.
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Erling Haaland was on target as Manchester City moved to the top of the Premier League table with a 3-1 victory at Arsenal that could well have a significant influence on the destination of this season’s title.
The Gunners made a lively start with Eddie Nketiah heading a good chance wide, but it was the visitors who took the lead on 24 minutes.
Kevin de Bruyne read Takehiro Tomiyasu’s back-pass and raced through to clip a lovely lob beyond Aaron Ramsdale.
Arsenal responded and after Tomiyasu blazed over an opportunity to redeem himself, the hosts levelled from the spot. Bukayo Saka was coolness personified as he calmly sent Ederson the wrong way just minutes before the break.
The second half was not as eye-catching as a spectacle but it was City who made the major moves, with Pep Guardiola’s side having a penalty award overturned by VAR just shy of the hour after Haaland was judged to be offside in the build-up.
City were not to be denied, however, with Jack Grealish taking advantage of space on the left side of the area to slam a deflected shot past Ramsdale.
Haaland then made sure of the victory when he drilled in De Bruyne’s pass eight minutes from time to snare his 26th league goal of the campaign.
The result means the champions move back to the Premier League summit, ahead of Arsenal on goal difference, although the Gunners still have a game in hand.
Next up, Man City visit Nottingham Forest on Saturday while Arsenal travel to Aston Villa.
Talking point - Advantage Man City
Arsenal showed their quality and why they are serious contenders in the first half, but following the break City showcased that big-game know-how to snatch top spot and potentially strike a psychological blow.
There is still so much for football to be played and for all of Arsenal’s early season brilliance and the champions’ much-publicised travails, it still looks like the Citizens may have the edge when it comes to a run-in.
Arsenal were in a position where even a defeat isn’t the end of the world, but it will feel like that tonight, particularly on the back of two disappointing results in the league prior to this showdown.
Expect Mikel Arteta to lift his troops with that clash between the top two at the Etihad on April 26 – when there will just be a handful of matches left to play – still looking like a decisive one in this intriguing tussle for the title.
Player of the match
Kevin de Bruyne (Man City). The Belgian once again demonstrated his penchant for the big stage. He took the opener with aplomb to net his first goal in 14 matches for the Citizens and then chipped in with an assist for Haaland’s clincher.
Player Ratings
ARSENAL: Ramsdale 7, Tomiyasu 5, Gabriel 6, Saliba 7, Zinchenko 7, Xhaka 7, Jorginho 7, Odegaard 6, Saka 8, Nketiah 6, Martinelli 7. Subs: Trossard 6, White n/a, Vieira n/a.
MAN CITY: Ederson 7, Walker 7, Dias 7, Rodri 7, Ake 7, Gundogan 8, De Bruyne 9, Silva 7, Mahrez 7, Haaland 8, Grealish 7. Subs: Akanji 6, Foden 5, Phillips n/a.
MAN CITY: Ederson 7, Walker 7, Dias 7, Rodri 7, Ake 7, Gundogan 8, De Bruyne 9, Silva 7, Mahrez 7, Haaland 8, Grealish 7. Subs: Akanji 6, Foden 5, Phillips n/a.
Match Highlights
16’ – MAN CITY CHANCE! Mahrez twists and turns on the right and teases a delicious cross to the far post where Haaland can only guide a shot across the face of goal.
22’ – ARSENAL CHANCE! Nketiah rises majestically in the middle but flicks his header from Zinchenko's wonderful cross wide of goal. He should have scored!
24’ – GOAL! – Arsenal 0-1 Man City. De Bruyne capitalises on a careless back pass from Tomiyasu to race in a lift a lovely finish over the stranded Ramsdale.
28’ – ARSENAL CHANCE! Tomiyasu has a chance to redeem himself almost immediately but blazes over after a deflected left-wing cross dropped to him 15 yards out.
42’ – GOAL! – Arsenal 1-1 Man City. Saka steps up and coolly sends Ederson the wrong way to level matters from the spot. The penalty was awarded after Ederson clattered into Nketiah.
45+6’ – MAN CITY CHANCE! Dias' header from a left-wing free kick hits Ake and diverts on to the bar. So close for City!
69’ – MAN CITY CHANCES! Arsenal are all over the place from a De Bruyne free kick on the left. It bounces around in the area and Akanji stabs it goalwards, but it's hacked off the line. The Gunners then make a meal of playing out from the back and Bernardo feeds Haaland, but Ramsdale is out fast to block the forward's effort from a narrow angle.
72’ – GOAL! – Arsenal 1-2 Man City. Grealish is left in acres of space on the left and comes charging in to drill a low, deflected shot beyond Ramsdale after smart play from Haaland and Gundogan.
82’ – GOAL! – Arsenal 1-3 Man City. Haaland surely wraps up the win as he drills home De Bruyne's cut back.
Key Stats
De Bruyne has scored six league goals against Arsenal, his most against any opponent in his career.
Saka is the first player to score in back-to-back Premier League appearances against reigning champions for Arsenal since Robin van Persie in January 2012.
Haaland has scored 26 goals in the Premier League this season, the joint-most by a Manchester City player in a single campaign in the competition, alongside Sergio Agüero in 2014-15.
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