Manchester Metropolis asserted their dominance within the Premier League title race after a convincing 4-1 victory over league leaders Arsenal on the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
Kevin De Bruyne scored twice, whereas Erling Haaland arrange two objectives to shut in on retaining their crown as English champions.
Regardless of holding a two-point lead on the prime of the desk, Arsenal’s problem to win the league for the primary time in 19 years had already derailed, having didn’t win of their final 4 video games. In the meantime, Metropolis, with two video games in hand, can afford to lose certainly one of their remaining seven matches and nonetheless declare a fifth title in six seasons below the management of Pep Guardiola.
For the primary time this season, Arsenal have been outclassed by a Metropolis facet that was already the dominant pressure within the English recreation. Haaland, who joined Metropolis within the winter switch window, has introduced a brand new dimension to the staff. The Norwegian set a brand new file of 33 Premier League objectives in a 38-game season, taking his tally in all competitions for the marketing campaign to 49.
Arsenal by no means recovered from a nightmare begin, as De Bruyne scored the opening aim past Aaron Ramsdale after simply seven minutes. Ben White’s last-ditch block denied De Bruyne a second aim, and Ramsdale stored Arsenal within the recreation with a hat-trick of saves. Nevertheless, John Stones headed in De Bruyne’s free-kick in first-half stoppage time, and a VAR overview adjudged the England defender was onside.
Haaland arrange De Bruyne once more on 54 minutes, with the Belgian discovering the underside nook through a nutmeg on Rob Holding. Holding has been the scapegoat for Arsenal’s defensive woes in current weeks as he has struggled to interchange the injured William Saliba. Arsenal managed to get on the scoresheet by means of the unlikely determine of Holding 4 minutes from time when the centre-back smashed dwelling.
Nevertheless, Metropolis nonetheless look imperious as they shut in on not solely a 3rd consecutive Premier League title however a treble. They face a gathering with Actual Madrid within the Champions League semi-finals subsequent month and a FA Cup ultimate in opposition to native rivals Manchester United to observe on June 3. Haaland offered the ultimate flourish with nearly the final kick of the sport when he lastly received the higher of Ramsdale to maneuver previous Mohamed Salah’s earlier file of 32 Premier League objectives within the 2017/18 season.
