No matter how big the point buffer had become between Arsenal and Manchester City, there was an eerie feeling Pep Guardiola’s side were never out of the title race.
Those feelings became all too frighteningly real for Gunners fans as Arsenal slipped to a 3-1 defeat to City at the Emirates in a thrilling clash, giftwrapping top spot to the defending champions.
Although City’s $AUD174m man Jack Grealish conceded Arsenal “were the better team” and played “a lot better than us”, three clinical moments for Guardiola’s side highlighted the chasm between the title-chasing pair.
First it was Takehiro Tomiyasu’s undercooked backpass that allowed Kevin de Bruyne to swoop in and lob Aaron Ramsdale from outside of the box.
Gabriel then needlessly dragged down Erling Haaland in the box to give away a penalty, although the Brazilian was bailed out by VAR as the Norwegian was inches offside.
But there was no technology to bail out Gabriel when he carelessly gave the ball away to Bernardo Silva which eventuated in Jack Grealish scoring the go-ahead goal with Haaland adding the killer blow just 10 minutes later.
With the evident difference in overall class and quality, The Telegraph’s Jason Burt believed the contest “felt like men against boys”, with the result perhaps proving to be “ominous” in the ensuing title race.
Although Arsenal have a chance to claw back top spot thanks to a game in hand, the momentum isn’t quite there.
Mikel Arteta’s troops have now dropped eight points from three games, a figure larger than the number of points dropped from the preceding 19 fixtures.
Had they beaten relegation-threatened Everton, they also could have extended their lead at the top to 11 points at one stage after City’s loss to Spurs just two games ago.
Instead, a loss to the Toffees followed by a draw against Brentford left the door ajar for City to creep back in, and creep back in they have.
“That’s why they’re champions,”The Times’ Henry Winter wrote.
“That’s why Manchester City’s thoroughbreds were always going to hunt down Arsenal’s hopefuls.”
The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare likened City’s inevitable dominance to that of a certain Serbian tennis player who may initially appear shook, but roars back to life.
“Trying to compete for a title with this City team feels a lot like trying to beat Novak Djokovic over five sets,” Eccleshare said.
“The way it changes so quickly and suddenly the challenger is gasping for air and thinking hold on I had a decent lead not long ago, what the hell just happened?”
With Arsenal’s lead at the top now momentarily gone, The Independent’s Miguel Delaney predicted “this might now be the beginning of the run everyone has been waiting for” from City.
“That is no real shame for Arsenal given how they have overperformed already this season but this match had the feeling of where they went to the limits against City and just didn’t have enough,” Delaney wrote.
Title implications aside, City’s victory was their 11th-straight Premier League win over the Gunners, with Arteta presiding for six of those defeats since taking charge in December 2019.
Of course, they have all come against Arteta’s managerial master, Guardiola.
Earlier contests between the two English titans with Arteta and Guardiola in opposing dugouts have all ended with City having their hand raised, but there was something slightly different about this one that hints the tide is slowly turning.
For starters, City had their lowest share of the possession count (36 per cent, to be exact) in a Premier League match since Guardiola took over.
The Daily Mail’s Ian Ladyman even described it as “a new and modern Premier League rivalry.”
“But this, despite the final score line, was a contest not to settle an argument or even a title race,” Ladyman wrote.
“Instead it merely hinted at more to come from these two further down the tracks.”
City now has 15 games between now and the end of the season, with a match against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on April 26.
Ladyman notes Guardiola’s side are now in pole position, “and if they don’t stay there it will be a surprise.”
But a first Premier League title in 19 years is still in Arsenal’s hands as they can return to the summit should they win their game in hand.
Whether they can stave off City remains to be seen, but this surely won’t be the last season we see these two Premier League juggernauts trade blows.
