The Premier League title is now Manchester City’s to lose after they routed Arsenal 4-1 on Wednesday.
Pep Guardiola’s team looked like champions-in-waiting with a ruthless win over the team who have led the way for a lot of this season.
Arsenal are still out in front in the standings, but by the time Erling Haaland completed the scoring in stoppage-time, the Londoners’ title challenge looked effectively over.
Photo: AFP
City remained two points behind the league leaders, but with two games in hand they appear to be on course to be crowned champion for the third year in a row.
“It is in our hands,” Guardiola said. “Until today, I preferred Arsenal’s position, because if Arsenal beat us, it is in their hands. Now it’s our destiny.”
After 17 games without defeat, it is hard to see City slipping up from here.
Arsenal might struggle to recover from such a chastening loss, which came on the back of three straight draws that had taken the momentum out of their title charge.
Mikel Arteta’s team have exceeded all expectations by taking the challenge this far, but the pressure appears to have taken its toll in the past few weeks.
Two-goal leads were thrown away against Liverpool and West Ham United, while it took a late comeback to salvage a point against last-placed Southampton last week.
That damaging sequence meant Arsenal needed to win against City to stay in control of the title race.
“Those players deserve a lot of credit after nine-and-a-half months being here,” Arteta said. “And there are still five games to play. In 22 years in this country I’ve seen a lot of things and there are not two equal games in this league.”
Haaland struck his 49th goal of the season, while Kevin de Bruyne was at his best, scoring twice.
“Kevin is a master of the assist with or without Erling,” Guardiola said. “Erling scores goals all the time with or without Kevin, but being together, when teams press so high and those balls with space behind, they are so dangerous and we use it.”
John Stones scored City’s other goal, while Rob Holding pulled one back for Arsenal.
In other games, Nottingham Forest climbed out of the relegation zone by beating Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 at the City Ground, while Chelsea were defeated 2-0 by Brentford.
Liverpool moved up to sixth after a 2-1 comeback win over West Ham United at the London Stadium.
Meanwhile, Sheffield United clinched promotion back to the Premier League with a 2-0 win against West Bromwich Albion at Bramall Lane.
Paul Heckingbottom’s side saw off West Brom thanks to goals from Sander Berge and Anel Ahmedhodzic, ensuring they earned the second automatic promotion spot in the Championship with three games to spare.
Second-placed Sheffield United sprinted to the finish line with six wins from their past seven games as they moved seven points clear of third-placed Luton Town, who have just two matches left.
Sheffield United’s promotion party came 24 hours after Burnley — who are 10 points clear — wrapped up the Championship title with a 1-0 win against Blackburn Rovers.
Additional reporting by AFP
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