Manchester City took a major step towards securing the Premier League title after an emphatic 4-1 win over Arsenal on Wednesday night. The Citizens dominated from start to finish, with goals from John Stones, Erling Haaland, and a Kevin De Bruyne brace sealing the victory. The win puts Pep Guardiola's side within touching distance of their fifth league title in the last seven seasons, with the north London club's hopes of lifting the trophy all but over.
The Gunners went into the match at the Etihad Stadium with a five-point lead over City, although the hosts had two games in hand on their title rivals. However, Guardiola's side quickly asserted their dominance, creating more meaningful opportunities than the visitors, who struggled in the build-up phase when pressed by Haaland, De Bruyne, and co.
After the match, De Bruyne spoke about how Guardiola's decision to play a double pivot instead of utilising Rodri as a lone six helped give his side a numerical advantage in midfield whilst also allowing the Belgian international to thrive in dangerous areas. "Normally we play with two number eights and I think he [Guardiola] wanted a little bit more control because of the way they press. So Gundo [Ilkay Gundogan] would be a double six and I had to choose more the moments, depending on who presses out of [Granit] Xhaka and [Thomas] Partey - if Partey was pressing I would try to go on his back and the other way round, and it was difficult for [Rob] Holding and Gabriel," he explained.
De Bruyne's role in the match was pivotal, with the midfielder proving to be a constant threat to the Arsenal defence. "I tried to get a little bit deeper and then tried to run off Erling when he kept the ball, and I think we found that a couple of times. I think in the first half we created some chances this way, and it was important to set the tone," he added.
Guardiola's tactical masterclass saw City nullify Arsenal's pressing game, which the Belgian midfielder admitted was top-class. "The way that Arsenal press the opposition is top, it's class. It's almost impossible to play from the back, especially when it's a goal kick - it's like a set piece, and we know we had to play longer today and we tried a couple of things in training," he said.
The victory also saw Haaland continue his impressive form, with the Norwegian striker scoring his sixth goal in five games. The 23-year-old has been a revelation since joining City from Borussia Dortmund in January, and his partnership with De Bruyne has been a major reason for the club's recent success.
The defeat leaves Arsenal's hopes of winning the league in tatters, with Mikel Arteta's side now ten points behind City with just four games remaining. The Gunners have struggled for consistency this season, with their inability to win away from home proving to be their downfall.
Despite the defeat, Arteta was quick to praise his side's performance, insisting that they had given their all against a top-quality City side. "We gave everything we had, but it wasn't enough. We knew it was going to be tough coming here, but we still believed we could get a result," he said.
The Spaniard also refused to give up on his side's chances of finishing as the champion, with Arsenal currently sitting in top place, two points ahead of second-placed Manchester City who have two games outstanding. "We still have four games left, and we're going to fight until the end. We know it's going to be difficult, but we're not giving up," he added.
Reviewed by Eclectic Streams
on
April 28, 2023
Rating:
