Premier League

MANCHESTER CITY 4 (De Bruyne 7, 54, Stones 45+1, Haaland 90+5)
ARSENAL 1 (Holding 86)

MATHEMATICALLY it is far from over. But, deep down, even the most optimistic Arsenal fans must now feel the sun is setting on their title challenge.

The Gunners are still clinging on at the top of the Premier League table, but after suffering a mauling at Manchester City tonight (Wednesday) there is an inevitability about the remaining weeks of the season.

City could have hit double figures in a one-sided affair at the Etihad Stadium. But in the end – largely thanks to Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale – the defending champions had to settle for just the four goals as they strolled to a 4-1 victory.

The win leaves Pep Guardiola’s side two points behind Arsenal with two games in hand. Despite the ominous feeling, however, Mikel Arteta said his young squad will keep on going until the very end.

“The analysis is clear: the better team won the game,” admitted the Arsenal boss. “They were probably at their best, especially in the first half, and we were nowhere near our level.

“We didn’t do all the basic things that you have to do against an exceptional team, in terms of competing, winning duels and understanding what the game requires. We got punished and we could have been punished even more.”

With a London derby against Chelsea next up at the Emirates on Tuesday, Arteta added: “There are still five games to play. I’ve been in this country for nearly 22 years and I’ve seen a lot of things; I know how much it shifts from game to game. We’re going to keep on fighting for sure.

“There are no two equal games in this league. First of all, we have to lift our players, because they suffered tonight. They played against an exceptional team – they know that. But we’re an exceptional team as well and tonight we weren’t at the races.”

It took City just seven minutes to open the scoring in front of their own supporters. Erling Haaland controlled a long punt downfield before playing a smart pass into Kevin de Bruyne, who curled a crisp low shot into the bottom corner.

Only a last-gasp tackle from Ben White stopped de Bruyne from getting a second, while Ramsdale denied Haaland not once, not twice, but three times in a rampant first half showing from the home side. The Norwegian net-buster also whistled a rasping shot just wide of the post on a night that would have left Arsenal fans hiding behind their sofas.

Just when it looked like Arteta’s side were going to escape into the dressing room at half-time only one goal down, John Stones planted a header past Ramsdale. The offside flag immediately went up, but VAR stepped in to show that White’s big toe had played the City defender onside and the goal stood.

The game was put to bed early in the second half when Haaland – fresh from being denied for the umpteenth by Ramsdale – picked out de Bruyne, who calmly slotted the ball through Rob Holding’s legs and past the dive of the goalkeeper.

Holding scored a late consolation, but the final word belonged to Haaland, who grabbed his 49th goal of the season with the last kick of the game.

Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Akanji, Stones, Rodri, Gundogan (Mahrez, 72), De Bruyne (Alvarez, 80), Silva, Grealish (Foden, 87), Haaland
Substitutes not used: Ortega, Laporte, Phillips, Gomez, Palmer, Lewis

Arsenal: Ramsdale, White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey, Xhaka (Jorginho, 60), Odegaard (Smith Rowe, 71), Saka (Nelson, 80), Jesus (Nketiah, 80), Martinelli (Trossard, 60)
Substitutes not used: Turner, Tierney, Kiwior, Vieira