Five star Arsenal cruise past Manchester City to heap pressure on Liverpool

Arsenal thrashed Man City 5-1 at the Emirates, closing the gap on Liverpool. Thomas Partey starred as the Gunners reignited their title hopes in style

Myles Lewis-Skelly replicates Erling Haaland's celebration after hitting the third goal past Manchester City on Sunday. Arsenal won 5-1. (Photo credit: BBC)

Arsenal moved within six points of Liverpool after thrashing reigning champions Manchester City at the Emirates on Sunday, with Thomas Partey once again proving why he’s indispensable at the club.

Liverpool had nicked an important result away at the Vitality Stadium, a win against a team with zero respect for giants will always mean so much, with Mohammed Salah sitting pretty at the heart of a sensational 2-0 win.

Arsenal had nine points to usurp as they filed out at the Emirates on Sunday; the nine could potentially be twelve with Everton waiting in the wings in midweek for the rescheduled Merseyside derby. It was all staring against the Gunners, but they aced it.

Martin Ødegaard put Arsenal in front after Manuel Akanji misplaced a pass; Kai Havertz was staring at the goal, but his confidence was bottom barrel, so he fed the Norwegian captain, who rifled past Stefan Ortega in goal.

It could have gotten better for Arsenal not long after; Declan Rice won possession in the final third, set up Havertz, who fired wide when it looked easier to score than to miss. It felt like the Gunners had missed a huge chance that could come back to haunt them.

Erling Haaland, the man in the eye of the storm for his late jibe at Mikel Arteta and Arsenal players at the end of the 2-2 draw at the Etihad earlier in the season, got the champions back into the game with a quality header that David Raya couldn’t do anything about.

The Arsenal of old would have slumped to defeat from there, but this version got back up immediately. Partey intercepted a Phil Foden pass, looked up, and fired one home off John Stones to restore Arsenal’s lead, and from there, it became a one-way traffic.

Myles Lewis-Skelly made it three after dancing into the City area with Ortega unable to stop his effort; his celebration must be a jibe at Haaland for questioning the personality of the Arsenal youngster in the first leg at the Etihad.

Four became five when Havertz finally got his shooting right; Gabriel Martinelli raced down on the counter, fed Havertz, who found the corner. Pep Guardiola made changes but to no avail as Arsenal added another through Ethan Nwaneri at the death to make it 5-1.

It was the first time the Cityzens shipped five in the Premier League and the biggest ever win for Mikel Arteta against Guardiola, whom he has only beaten twice in the Premier League. Arsenal is now firmly back in the title race, but the advantage is still with Arne Slot’s side.