Arsenal claim derby spoils to underline title credentials

Arsenal and Manchester City secure crucial wins, tightening Premier League title race.

Arsenal currently leads the way in the title race but, will City drop points to hand the Gunners their first title in 20 years? (Photo credit: Premierleague.com)

Manchester City and Arsenal underlined their respective title credentials on Sunday, with varying shades of important victories to keep things tight at the top.

Having seen Liverpool drop points at the London Stadium on Saturday, Arsenal and Manchester City knew only a win would hand them the advantage over the Kops and settle the dust into a two-horse title race between Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal stepped up first. It was a game everyone was waiting for to decide where to place Arsenal in terms of mentality shift, confidence, and grit; a loss would have thrown Arsenal completely in the same basket as Liverpool, but boy, didn’t Arsenal respond like real champions?

Arsenal raced to a three-goal lead in the first half, and Spurs were completely blown away by an own goal by Pierre Emile Hoijberg, a brilliant Bukayo Saka finish, and a neat Kai Havertz header deep into the second half. You must wonder what happened to the Tottenham defense.

David Raya got bored in the second half and, he passed to Christian Romero unprovoked and the Argentine wrongfooted the Arsenal goalkeeper to make it 3-1. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium home crowd grew in belief, and Arsenal got on the edge.

Declan Rice conceded a penalty to hand Heung Min Son a goal; the South Korean was anonymous all game as the Gunners' defense stood firm until the Raya error. With only three minutes left on the clock, the stadium sensed hope.

Despite the six extra minutes, Arsenal got over the line to go four points clear of Manchester City and five clear of Liverpool with only three games left to play. It was up to Manchester City to respond minutes later, they didn’t disappoint.

The champions stepped up at the City Ground, with Erling Haaland on the bench but without Phil Foden, who was not in the squad due to illness. The hosts came out smoking, defended themselves as a unit, and gave their visitors something to think about early on.

Josko Gvardiol headed home the opener but, Chris Wood should have leveled with a tap in but the New Zealand striker fluffed his lines. One became two in the second half as the hosts refused to take any of their good chances.

Haaland came off the bench to slide home the second, his first goal in four matches. Forest sits one point above the drop zone but, by the next time they play, they could be in the drop zone if Luton Town beats Everton at Kenilworth Road on Friday.