LONDON — Arsenal secured their greatest win over Manchester Metropolis in 22 years on Sunday after thrashing Pep Guardiola’s aspect 5-1 at Emirates Stadium.
Martin Ødegaard opened the scoring within the second minute after Manuel Akanji was caught in possession earlier than Erling Haaland equalised 10 minutes after the break with a towering header. Nevertheless, the Gunners’ response was emphatic. Simply 105 seconds later, the house aspect was again in entrance as Thomas Partey‘s deflected strike flew previous Stefan Ortega.
From there, Metropolis have been unable to manage as Arsenal carved them open repeatedly. Teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly scored his first senior profession objective with a superb right-foot strike at 62 minutes earlier than Kai Havertz added a fourth at 76 minutes. Substitute Ethan Nwaneri accomplished the rout in stoppage time with a superb curling end from exterior the field.
The Gunners closed the hole on Premier League leaders Liverpool to 6 factors, whereas Metropolis stay in fourth place, degree on factors with Newcastle United instantly under them. — James Olley
Arsenal get revenge over Haaland, Metropolis
It took simply two minutes for the extent to which Arsenal have been motivated by Haaland’s previous behaviour to return to the fore. As Emirates Stadium erupted following Odegard’s early opener, Gabriel Magalhães was caught on digicam shouting in Haaland’s face as he ran off to rejoice.
The animosity wasn’t tough to foretell. Haaland’s “keep humble” remark to Mikel Arteta on the finish of September’s reverse fixture has lingered within the Gunners’ collective reminiscence, together with Haaland throwing the ball at Gabriel’s head after John Stones‘ 97th-minute equaliser that day.
Gabriel’s response on the time was to pointedly warn Metropolis that “we’re ready for them at our floor,” and so it proved. It appeared at one stage that Haaland would outline this recreation as his Fifty fifth-minute header drew Metropolis degree, scoring his 250th senior membership objective within the course of — a sooner price than Lionel Messi (327), Kylian Mbappé (332), Harry Kane (430) and Cristiano Ronaldo (451) — however after Partey’s strike, Lewis-Skelly had the final chuckle, reacting to his very good 62nd-minute effort by using Haaland’s meditating celebration.
Haaland was seen in September asking Lewis-Skelly, “Who the f— are you?” He is aware of now. — Olley
Metropolis undone by pricey errors
Guardiola has sufficient on his plate making an attempt to rebuild Metropolis’s season with out gamers making particular person errors and costing objectives. Akanji was at fault for Arsenal’s first when he was robbed by Leandro Trossard.
It nearly occurred once more halfway by way of the primary half when Ortega misjudged a go into midfield and Mateo Kovacic was caught on the ball by Declan Rice. Metropolis acquired away with it solely due to a horrible effort from Havertz, which he one way or the other managed to tug vast of the publish.
The error resulting in Arsenal’s second objective will disappoint Guardiola essentially the most. Metropolis had labored so arduous to remain within the recreation and equalise by way of Haaland, but it surely was all undone simply two minutes later when Phil Foden‘s free go was picked off by Partey, who discovered the web by way of a deflection off Stones’ again.
It was one other particular person error that allowed Chelsea to take an early lead on the Etihad Stadium final week. On that event, Metropolis had sufficient to battle again. Arsenal, nonetheless, are way more ruthless and made the guests pay for gifting them two objectives. — Rob Dawson
Arsenal pose title query to Liverpool
Sunday’s recreation was the final probability Arsenal needed to apply strain on Liverpool earlier than the leaders play their long-awaited recreation in hand.
The Gunners desperately wanted to chop the hole to 6 factors to show up the warmth on Liverpool forward of their Merseyside derby at Everton, a match that takes on a brand new dimension following supervisor David Moyes’ return to the membership. The last-ever Goodison Park derby was at all times going to be an emotive affair, however Everton now look to be a harder proposition underneath Moyes, profitable their previous three matches towards Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion and Leicester Metropolis.
Consequently, victory for Arsenal was paramount to boost the stakes, and so to answer Metropolis’s equaliser this emphatically — towards a staff they’ve so typically been outclassed by lately — appeared like a major step. It is just their third win from 12 video games towards groups within the prime half, a report that they had to enhance and have to proceed to take action to reign in Arne Slot’s aspect. They’ve now received consecutive house video games towards Metropolis for the primary time since 2009. — Olley
The puzzling omission of De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne has performed a extra diminished position this season, but it surely was nonetheless a shock to see him named on the bench on the Emirates. Guardiola has been eager to insist that he should handle the Belgium worldwide’s minutes after the 33-year-old missed a major chunk of the marketing campaign with an damage.
He performed for 80 minutes towards Membership Brugge in midweek, however might he not have completed the identical towards Arsenal 4 days later? In spite of everything, Metropolis now have a free week to organize for his or her FA Cup tie at Leyton Orient on Saturday.
De Bruyne remains to be one in all Guardiola’s finest gamers. He is definitely his finest passer. He additionally brings a composure to Metropolis that has been lacking this season. Rodri is out and the defensive axis of Stones, and Rúben Dias has solely been obtainable to start out one Premier League recreation this season.
By the point De Bruyne got here on towards Arsenal within the 72nd minute, the rating was already 3-1, and the sport had gone. Solely he’ll know precisely how match he’s, but it surely appeared an odd alternative to go away him on the sidelines for such an enormous recreation. — Dawson
The place does Marmoush slot in Metropolis assault?
The £60 million January signing from Eintracht Frankfurt was brilliant on the left wing on his debut towards Chelsea. Moved inside towards Arsenal, the Egypt worldwide was ineffective.
His finest video games in Germany got here in a central position, however with Haaland assured to start out at centre-forward each week, it might appear Omar Marmoush‘s finest probability of normal recreation time at Metropolis will come out vast. Guardiola was requested about his new attacker at his prematch information convention on Friday, and he urged the 25-year-old was a membership signing moderately than one he had particularly requested. No matter whether or not that is the case, will probably be as much as him to discover a place for Marmoush the place he can showcase the expertise that noticed him rating 15 objectives in 17 Bundesliga video games this season earlier than his transfer to the Etihad.
There must be a interval of adaptation for Marmoush, too. He was used to being the primary man in Frankfurt, however that will not be the case at Metropolis. Haaland is their major objective scorer — as he confirmed once more on the Emirates — and Marmoush must discover a technique to complement the Norway worldwide. — Dawson
