Rampant Man City crush Arsenal with De Bruyne double

Pep Guardiola’s relentless side stunned as they made it 12 consecutive league wins against Arsenal, with an excellent De Bruyne scoring twice and Erling Haaland also on target as City took control of their destiny.

De Bruyne put City ahead in the seventh minute from Haaland’s pass and the hosts bombarded the Arsenal goal before John Stones doubled their lead with a header in first-half stoppage time.

Arsenal, who started five points clear but after drawing three games in a row, looked powerless to stop the onslaught and when De Bruyne restarted in the second half it turned out to be a damage-limit campaign for the leaders.

Rob Holding grabbed an 86th-minute consolation but it was too little too late for Mikel Arteta’s side and City now look favorites to claim a fifth title in six seasons.

Haaland finally got on the scoresheet in stoppage time for his 49th goal of the season in all competitions – the most by a top-flight player in England since Clive Allen in 1986–87.

City’s seventh consecutive league win left them 73 points clear of Arsenal on 75, but crucially they have played two fewer games than the Londoners, whose hopes of a first title since 2004 have now gone four without a win. Looks dejected after games.

Guardiola’s City have trailed Arsenal for almost the entire season but will go top if they beat Fulham at the weekend.

“We know what people will say but it is very difficult and a lot can happen,” De Bruyne told BT Sport.

“Seven games still to go, a lot of points, and we’re still two points behind Arsenal. Our schedule is busy, there’s a lot of things going on that we have to do to prepare for Sunday.”

A damaging April took the wind out of Arsenal’s sails, but a first league win over City since 2015 put them back in charge of the race.

In contrast to bottom-placed Southampton in Friday’s frenetic 3-3 draw, they conceded without conceding in the opening minute.

But the writing was on the wall as Haaland and De Bruyne began to combine with devastating effect.

Haaland showed great strength to control a high ball and send De Bruyne away with a neat pass before curling a shot inside the post as the Belgian progressed.

arsenal fragility

City sensed Arsenal’s fragility and went for the juggernaut, tearing through the visitors’ lines at will.

De Bruyne looked set for a carbon copy of his opener as Arsenal’s high-line defense was again outflanked but this time his shot was blocked. Minutes later Ramsdale denied Haaland as the Norwegian forced his way through more flamboyant defending.

Haaland forced another sharp save from Ramsdale before Arsenal finally threatened with Thomas Partey shooting wide.

The attacks however continued and Haaland thought he had scored only to see his left footed shot wide, before again being forced to save from Ramsdale.

If Arsenal were a goal down at half-time it would have felt like a psychological victory, but De Bruyne’s deadly delivery in stoppage time found Stones headed in.

The goal was initially ruled to be offside but a VAR investigation showed that a part of Ben White’s foot had played onto Stones.

If Arsenal still had any hope of salvaging something it vanished in the 54th minute when Haaland fed De Bruyne past Ramsdale for another silky finish.

“I don’t think they were scared, but the way we started the game, we put ourselves in trouble,” Arteta said. “When you come here you need to be at your best. We were far from that today.”

Treble-chasing City hit back and Arsenal gave their fans some joy when Holding fired in from the edge of the area.

But Haaland had the last laugh as City, who are in the FA Cup final and face Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals, scored 28 points from the last 30 on offer.