LONDON – Manchester City produced an unmatched performance on Wednesday as they beat shoddy Arsenal 3-1 to go top of the English Premier League while their opponents dropped to second.
It was a night to forget for the Gunners at the Emirates as they received a thrashing without their star midfielder Thomas Partey who was dropped hours before the game due to a thigh injury.
Man City started the game on the front foot and their determination was eventually rewarded in the 24th minute when a Takehiro Tomiyasu back pass was intercepted by Kevin De Bruyne for the first goal.
Arsenal started to launch raids into City’s half in search of the equaliser which came two minutes before 45 minutes when striker Eddie Nketiah was fouled by goalkeeper Ederson in the box.
Bukayo Saka slotted home the penalty to make it 1-1 before the break.
In the second half, the visitors came back with extra energy as their launched a series of attack and could have won a penalty early on after Erling Haaland was brought down in the box by defender Gabriel Magalhães.
The penalty was reversed after a VAR check as Arsenal survived for a few minutes.
City didn’t drop the gauntlet with Jack Grealish scoring the second in the 72nd minute after another defensive confusion by Arsenal players.
With the the reigning champions 2-1 up, the Gunners began to go forward in search of the equaliser but that returned to haunt them as City scored a third through free scoring Haaland in the 82nd minute.
The defeat means Arsenal are winless in their last three games and will have to produce a masterclass to dislodge the new pole position tenants.
