Last Update: April 27, 2023, 02:44 IST
Kevin De Bruyne scored two goals in a 4-1 win over leaders Arsenal. (Image: Manchester City / Twitter)
The Gunners’ challenge to win the league for the first time in 19 years was derailed even before the trip to the Etihad
Manchester City took control of the Premier League title race as Kevin De Bruyne scored in a 4-1 win over leaders Arsenal to retain their crown as English champions on Wednesday.
Arsenal hold a two-point lead at the top of the table but City have two games in hand, meaning Pep Guardiola’s men can lose just one of their remaining seven games and still be looking for a fifth title in six seasons. can claim.
The Gunners’ challenge to win the league for the first time in 19 years has already been derailed ahead of the trip to the Etihad as Mikel Arteta’s men have now failed to win in their last four games.
But for the first time this season they were truly outplayed as City flexed their muscles.
The arrival of Erling Haaland brought a new dimension to a side that was already a dominant force in the English game.
Haaland scored a new record 33 Premier League goals in a 38-game season, one deep into stoppage time, to take his tally to 49 in all competitions for the campaign.
But the Norwegian showed there is more to his game than goals, setting up De Bruyne to slot home the first goal from Aaron Ramsdale after just seven minutes.
Arsenal never recovered from that nightmare start and were fortunate not to be blown away before half-time.
Ben White’s last-ditch block denied De Bruyne an almost carbon copy of his first goal after being freed from behind by Haaland.
Ramsdale then single-handedly kept Arsenal in the game and Haaland at bay and saved the 22-year-old’s hat-trick.
But there was no hurt when John Stones headed De Bruyne’s free-kick in first-half stoppage time and a VAR review declared the England defender offside.
Ramsdale continued to win his battle with Haaland after the break when the City striker went clear from Ederson’s long ball.
But Arsenal lost the battle as Haaland once again tipped De Bruyne through to nutmeg on Rob Holding to find the bottom corner on 54 minutes.
Holding has been the scapegoat for Arsenal’s defensive woes in recent weeks as he struggles to replace the injured William Saliba.
Arteta’s men have now conceded 10 times in their last four games and face a huge challenge to lift themselves in the final weeks of the campaign to keep any pressure on City.
Arsenal got on the scoresheet less than four minutes from time when the centre-back blazed home.
But regardless of Arsenal’s response, City look formidable as they inch closer to not only a third consecutive Premier League title, but a treble.
A meeting with Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals next month appears to be the biggest hurdle, with the FA Cup final against local rivals Manchester United on June 3.
Haaland provided the final flourish with the final kick of the game when he finally got the better of Ramsdale to surpass Mohamed Salah’s previous record of 32 Premier League goals in the 2017/18 season.
read all Latest sports newscheck out orange cap And purple cap holder details here
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)
