Arsenal humiliated reigning champions Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium with a brilliant 5-1 win, sparking their Premier League title challenge back into life.
Tensions between the teams were high after a 2-2 draw, in Septmber 2024, between the teams but Arsenal earned a statement victory against Pep Guardiola’s side, who had pipped them to the title in the last two seasons.
Mikel Arteta’s side took a 1-0 lead into half-time after Martin Odegaard opened the scoring, but the game exploded into life in the second half.
Erling Haaland equalised with a great header but, just 38 seconds after the restart, Arsenal were back in front after a deflected strike found the back of the net. And six minutes later, Myles Lewis-Skelly scored his first Premier League goal to make it 3-1.
Kai Havertz, who missed a golden chance earlier in the game, added a fourth and substitute Ethan Nwaneri wrapped up the scoring with a beauty in stoppage time.
Aside from needle surrounding Haaland, Gabriel and Arteta, this was the first time Arsenal have scored five against City since February 2003, and a fourth league game unbeaten for them against Guardiola’s side, after a run of 12 consecutive head-to-head defeats in the top flight.
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Today’s result effectively ends any hope of City winning a fifth straight title but keeps Arsenal’s chances of their first since 2003-04 simmering.
Mikel Arteta reacts after Man City win
“During the game, it [my feelings] was so-so. At the end maybe more than unusual. It’s a great day for us, especially against the level of opposition we played today.
“To beat them in the manner we’ve done, a lot has to go your way. We played aggressively, with a lot of courage.
“Even if you want it, they are that good that sometimes you have to stay deep and suffer, and enjoy those moments as well. We had a bit of luck in some moments,” he adds.
“Just enjoy the day, it’s something we will learn from as well and understand still that a lot of things have to go your way to win in that manner.
“One is to create the unbelievable energy in the stadium, we cannot waste one minute. It transforms the team and makes it tough for the opposition. It makes the players believe we can beat anyone on their day. It’s going to be very helpful for the future,” he says.
On the situation after the match in September, he adds: “You have to focus on us and believe in anything that can happen.
“I’ve been in football a long time, just leave what happens.”
