Arsenal produced a stunning second-half display to thrash Manchester City 5-1 in their English Premier League (EPL) clash at the Emirates on Sunday.
Goals from Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Kai Havertz, and Ethan Nwaneri sealed the emphatic win, as Erling Haaland’s solitary strike was not enough to save the defending champions from a humiliating defeat.
The Gunners wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Martin Odegaard capitalizing on Manuel Akanji’s defensive blunder to slot home the opener just two minutes into the game.
Manchester City equalized early in the second half when Haaland met Savinho’s cross with a powerful header in the 55th minute. However, Arsenal responded immediately, regaining the lead two minutes later through Partey’s deflected strike.
Myles Lewis-Skelly then made it 3-1 with a sensational long-range effort, marking his first senior goal in style. Havertz added to City’s misery with a curling effort to the far post after a swift counterattack, before 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri completed the rout deep into added time with a well-placed finish.
The result extends Arsenal’s unbeaten run to 14 matches and marks their second consecutive home victory against City. Mikel Arteta’s side now sit second in the league with 50 points from 24 matches, narrowing Liverpool’s lead at the top to six points.
The loss marks a troubling trend for Pep Guardiola’s side, who have now gone three matches without a win against Arsenal. City remain in fourth place with 41 points, nine points behind Arsenal.
At Old Trafford, Crystal Palace defeated Manchester United 2-0, piling further misery on Ruben Amorim’s side, who have now lost five of their six home matches under the new manager. United’s latest setback drops them to 13th, while Palace climb above them in the table.
In West London, Tottenham eased their struggles with a 2-0 win over Brentford, lifting spirits as they look to climb further up the table.
EPL Results
- Arsenal 5-1 Manchester City
- Manchester United 0-2 Crystal Palace
- Brentford 0-2 Tottenham