EPL wrap: Manchester City humbled by five-star Gunners

Rowan Callaghan

“Stay humble, eh. Stay humble,” Man City striker Erling Haaland told Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta at the end of a fractious clash in September.

But it was the Man City striker and his teammates who were served a huge helping of humble pie in the 5-1 demolition at the Emirates on Sunday.

It was certainly a spicy encounter, with the City striker the obvious target.

He had to endure the humiliation of watching young Gunner Myles Lewis-Skelly copy his trademark celebration, sitting cross-legged on the turf as if meditating, after scoring his first Arsenal goal.

The Manchester City striker had asked Lewis-Skelly “who the f*** are you?” after the drawn September encounter. What a way to answer.

Revenge is a dish best served cold, I guess.

City manager Pep Guardiola looked frustrated on the sidelines, in what has become an all-too-familiar scene of late. So much for talk of a City revival, eh Pep?

Defensive frailties continue to haunt his side, and could even cost the Citizens a place in the top four if not addressed.

Firing on all cylinders

The result has extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run and breathed new life into the title race.

League leaders Liverpool, however, are continuing to get the job done, but were made to sweat by plucky Bournemouth in their 2-0 win.

Mo Salah’s fine form will make all Reds fans quietly confident of the title, as they boast a game in hand. That Merseyside Derby clash is looming as a key point in the title battle, and the Toffees’ recent revival under the returning David Moyes suggests it won’t be an easy match for the Reds (derbies rarely are). If Arne Slot’s Reds can extend their lead to nine points, the feeling is that the race will be over, barring any dramatic late slips.

Everton humbled Leicester 4-0 at the weekend, denting the Foxes’ increasingly slim survival hopes. Wolves’ win over Aston Villa also didn’t help their cause, with the Villains suffering another post-European hangover.

I wonder if they’re already regretting letting Jhon Duran leave for Saudi Arabia?

A not-so-rash decision?

Maybe the arrival of Man United’s Marcus Rashford on loan will help fill the void. But after Red Devils manager Ruben Amorim said he’d rather put the team’s 63-year-old goalkeeper coach on the bench ahead of the forward, due to a lack of effort, I’m not so sure.

The last laugh could be the former England striker’s, with the malaise only deepening at the Red Devils. There are already whispers of Amorim’s position being under threat. But that would be grossly unfair considering that the Portuguese manager doesn’t have the tools at his disposal to implement his style of play.

It’s more likely, though, that United will muddle through the rest of the season in the hopes that Amorim can start “fresh” in the next campaign.

Spurred into action

A manager who might not be given that leeway is Spurs’ Ange Postecoglou. The weekend’s 2-0 win over Brentford could buy him time, but it is largely believed that his stay hinges on their cup fortunes.

Ange did say that he always wins a trophy in his second season, and there’s a lot riding on Thursday’s League Cup semi-final against Liverpool at Anfield.

Can they make the most of their 1-0 lead against the league leaders?

“You’re getting sacked in the morning” will certainly ring out at Anfield should Spurs suffer another blow.

Bird flu catchy

The pressure is also surely mounting on Brighton boss Fabien Hurzeler after a recent wobble, with Nottingham bouncing back from a 5-0 hammering to dish out a 7-0 thrashing of the Seagulls.

That strain of bird flu seems to be highly contagious as the Magpies let a 1-0 lead slip before losing 2-1 at home to Fulham. The result only served to once again confirm the unpredictable nature of the Premier League … and why we love watching it.