MANCHESTER: Billed as a Premier League title decider, it was barely even a contest as Manchester City thrashed Arsenal 4-1 on Wednesday to close in on becoming English champions for the fifth time in six years.

City have not hit top spot yet as Arsenal remain two points in front but the momentum of the title race looks to have decisively swung the way of Pep Guardiola’s men as they have the chance to pull away into the distance with two games in hand.

The Gunners have only lost four games all season but tellingly two of them have come when faced with the ultimate test in City. A 3-1 home defeat when the sides met in February was at least a game decided by fine margins. This time round it was a rout.

“We lost in a very different way at the Emirates,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. “Today the quality in the performance was very far away from what we are capable of.”

A brittle Arsenal defence, shorn of the reassuring presence of William Saliba, could not contain the power of Erling Haaland, even if it did take until the final attack of the game for the Norwegian to score his 49th goal of the season and his 33rd in the league that beat Mohamed Salah’s record for a single 38-game Premier League season.

Haaland instead turned provider, twice, for Kevin De Bruyne to fire home early in each half.

In between times, Arsenal’s weakness at defending set-pieces was exposed as John Stones rose highest to head home De Bruyne’s free-kick in first half stoppage time.

Guardiola heaped praise on his former assistant Arteta before the game for raising the standards at Arsenal to bring them back into contention for a first Premier League title in 19 years.

But Arteta still cannot find the antidote to beat his former boss as Arsenal have now lost 12 consecutive league games against City.

Arsenal’s title challenge was unexpected and arguably premature for the youn­gest squad in the league.

They have not even qualified for the Champions League for the past six years, something which they are already assured of for next season. Yet that cannot mask the disappointment of having crumbled once the pressure was ramped up on the run-in.

Arguably the damage was done even before Arsenal set foot on the Etihad with three consecutive draws.

Twice Arteta’s men blew a 2-0 lead to drop points at Liverpool and West Ham United before being held 3-3 at home by bottom-of-the-table Southampton.

Those results had already sowed the seeds of doubt and City capitalised with a masterclass that put the young Gunners back in their place.

De Bruyne and Haaland struck up a special connection from day one of the season, but the normal roles were reversed as Haaland bagged two assists and the Belgian was lethal in front of goal.

His first goal after seven minutes was full of intent as he collected a neat ball from Haaland and immediately drove through a retreating Arsenal defence then deliciously curled a low show just inside the post.

He then delivered a pin-point free kick for John Stones to head the second while his own second was one of his trademark ‘how did he do that?’ specials having initially won the ball back in the centre circle.

Looking as if he was taking a touch of control, with virtually no backlift, he poked the ball between defender Rob Holding’s legs to catch goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale cold after Haaland again turned provider in a combination that Arsenal had no answer to.

As is becoming the norm, De Bruyne was withdrawn by manager Pep Guardiola, as ever, looking disgruntled at the decision, as Holden pulled one back for the visitors before Haaland ensu­red City finished on a high.

Asked about De Bruyne’s performance, coach Guardiola said: “Always I push him, I have the feeling that he can do better but in this shape when he can move behind, he has that little bit more freedom.

“When we stay close to him and with long balls, second balls and with Erling up front, he’s so dangerous... he’s a master. Erling’s connection with Kevin is extraordinary and we tried today to use it as much as possible.”

Arteta admitted the margin of defeat could have been much worse had Haaland not been held at bay by a series of saves by Aaron Ramsdale.

Haaland finally found a way through in stoppage time, by which point he had fittingly let his hair down.

There remains work to do for City, not just to retain their title but potentially become just the second English team to complete the treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in the same season.

But on this form City will take some stopping. “It is in our hands,” Guardiola said. “Until today, I preferred Arsenal’s position because if Arsenal beat us it is in their hands. Now it’s our destiny.”

CHELSEA CRASH AGAIN

Elsewhere on Wednes­day, Chel­sea crashed to a fifth successive defeat under Frank Lampard as their west London neighbours Bren­t­ford won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.

In his second spell as Chelsea boss after replacing the sacked Graham Potter until the end of the season, Lampard has failed to spark a revival from his troubled team, who were booed off at full-time.

With former Paris Saint Germain and Tottenham manager Mauricio Poche­ttino reportedly close to taking charge, Chelsea are enduring their worst run since 1993 after their winless streak extended to eight games.

Cesar Azpilicueta’s 37th minute own goal and Bryan Mbeumo’s 78th minute strike left 11th placed Chel­sea in danger of finishing in the bottom half of the table for the first time since 1996.

Liverpool kept alive their slender hopes of a top four finish with a 2-1 win at West Ham.

The Hammers took a 12th-minute lead through Lucas Paqueta’s spectacular strike, only for Cody Gakpo to equalise from long-range five minutes later. Joel Matip’s 67th minute header moved sixth placed Liverpool within six points of fourth placed Manchester United, who have two games in hand.

Nottingham Forest climbed out of the relegation zone as they beat Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 at the City Ground to win for the first time in 12 games.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2023