It will be an image that will achieve iconic status for Arsenal. It may even, if they win the Premier League this season or continue to confirm their ascent at Manchester City’s expense, gain a mural outside the Emirates Stadium.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, one of their own, a Hale End academy product like 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri who also sumptuously found the net, struck the ‘meditation pose’ after scoring the third goal in Arsenal’s luminous 5-1 demolition of the soon-to-be deposed champions. With it, the teenager exposed the deep and seething rivalry that has developed between these two clubs with his team-mates all gleefully crowding round him as he sat on the turf.
Pre-match it was played down but, undeniably, it was there and, following this, it has only developed further. Afterwards Mikel Arteta spoke about “tenacity” and the motivation clearly went way beyond the desire to reduce Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table back to six points, albeit with a game in hand, which they monumentally achieved.
It was a celebration pose that used to be adopted by Erling Haaland who, of course, had witheringly directed a “who the f--- are you?” comment towards Lewis-Skelly following the momentous 2-2 draw between these two sides earlier in this campaign. Haaland certainly knows who he is now.
“Stay humble,” Haaland also told Arteta and so, after the call for humility, City were humiliated.
The pose defines ‘inner peace’ but, for City, there was just wretched turmoil as Pep Guardiola watched one of his teams concede five goals and lose by a four-goal margin for the first time in a dominant career that has also covered Barcelona and Bayern Munich. That spans 958 matches. He has lost 4-0 on four occasions before and 5-2, once, but never 5-1.
Even more extraordinary was the nature of the second-half collapse, another second-half collapse, from City who have simply lost all semblance of control when that was their hallmark.
It is becoming a theme. They conceded four goals against Paris Saint-Germain from 56 minutes onwards – when 2-0 up – and did so again here against Arsenal from 1-1. They conceded two goals from 80 minutes against Brentford and Manchester United and three in the last 15 minutes against Feyenoord.
But it felt like it was the third one here, the one claimed by Lewis-Skelly, his first professional goal and with his weaker foot, that was the key one; the defining one; the one that secured the result. Guardiola agreed, stating it was the goal that “killed” City.
Less than two years ago Lewis-Skelly was scoring against the same opponent in an FA Youth Cup tie and now this. “He had been nurtured in the academy,” Arteta said. “He has got it inside him and he is good at expressing it. He wants to make things happen.” He did just that.
The Arsenal fans will rightly lap it up. No-one should doubt Lewis-Skelly’s confidence or his competitiveness but did it also feel a little premature, without being too po-faced, for the 18-year-old to be goading Haaland in that way? Now he has talked the talk he needs to continue walking the walk as he and Arsenal did here. Their actions, their glorious pettiness need to be backed up with trophies.
And to think Lewis-Skelly was due to miss this game had the red-card for his controversial dismissal against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend not been rightly over-turned.
Make no mistake this was a statement result and a statement performance from Arsenal – a much over-used phrase but a justified one on this occasion - and while the focus will be on the bit of devilment, with Gabriel Maghalaes screaming into Haaland’s face, it should also not detract from one of the best individual contributions of the campaign so far: delivered by Declan Rice.
The England international, aided by captain Martin Odegaard, ran the game with his energy and aggression while, on this evidence, the impressive Lewis-Skelly may even follow him into Thomas Tuchel’s first squad when it is announced next month. Lewis-Skelly, who was substituted to a standing ovation late on, certainly has the confidence and the competitiveness and England are weak at left-back. So why not?
This is the one where Arsenal simply wanted it more and Rice captured that. It will hurt City that they firstly decided against trying to buy Rice, opting to sign Kalvin Phillips instead, and then later on pulled out of the bidding when Arsenal made their huge £100million-plus offer. Instead City’s midfield of Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva were simply over-run.
“We had that fire in our stomachs,” Rice later said and it burned fiercest of all in him, Odegaard and Lewis-Skelly. City contributed to their own downfall with some shockingly poor mistakes but they were also harried and pressed by Arsenal.
And so to the goals. Yes, Arsenal were indebted to two fine saves from David Raya but it was their early, first strike that set the tone. For both teams. It was sloppy from John Stones and even more so from Manuel Akanji as Arsenal pressed with Leandro Trossard forcing the turnover, Rice’s clever first-time pass finding Kai Havertz and Odegaard scoring.
It proved emblematic. City drew level through an excellent towering header from Haaland, with his 250th career league goal by the age of 24, but that only lasted for 38 seconds after the re-start as Phil Foden carelessly lost possession – like Akanji – and Thomas Partey beat Stefan Ortego with a deflected drive.
Cue the collapse. Rice picked out Lewis-Skelly and with Stones backing off inside the penalty area he bent the ball around the defender. Then Havertz finished powerfully after City were undone, yet again, by a counter-attack before the substitute Nwaneri – and what a prospect he is – who rounded it off with the pick of the goals with the final kick of the game. That timing and the quality of the strike made it even more emphatic.
“Keep it humble,” Lewis Skelly later posted on Instagram with a photo of him adopting that pose. Just to rub it in, in case there was any doubt as to his intent. Which there was not.
07:43 PM GMT
Arteta on potential deadline day activity
"So it's possible?"
"It's always possible!"Mikel Arteta's coy response to questions around potential transfer deadline day activity ???? pic.twitter.com/lITjcQw9Qb
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 2, 2025
07:31 PM GMT
Henry critiques Haaland
Thierry Henry on Erling Haaland: “I wouldn’t have been able to cope – something would have happened, I would have gone to get it, touch it back, do something.
“It’s a skill, David Trezeguet had it that even though he didn’t touch the ball he could stay concentrated and put the ball in the net. What can you do when your team can’t help you. Can you run into the channels? Can you be available?
“But you’re not moving so much when your team is on the ball or taking care of the ball, it’s not enough but he will score when he plays like that and he did.”
07:24 PM GMT
High praise for Lewis-Skelly
07:16 PM GMT
‘Emulating Haaland’s celebration? That’s good’
Guardiola’s response when asked about Lewis-Skelly copying Haaland’s celebration: “I didn’t see it. Did he do that? That’s good. That’s good. Emulating Haaland’s celebration? That’s good. That’s good. Did you like my answer?”
07:11 PM GMT
‘We forgot to do what we should do’
Pep Guardiola speaking to the BBC: “I only regret the last 25 minutes, we forgot to do what we should do, what we have done for 65/70 minutes. Of course it’s a difficult game starting in this stadium, against that team in the first minutes it’s happened many times this season.
“But after 10/15 minutes I think we took the game and played really, really, really, really good and we are in it after 1-1 and good momentum we pass to make the transition with Omar [Marmoush] and a deflection and the third goal.
“But after that, we then continued to do what you have to do in terms defensively and [be a] little bit more patient. and when you’re playing that way they can run and of course at 3-1 they are comfortable, its more difficult. I regret the last 15/20 minutes, the rest was a really good game for our side. It’s difficult to understand when you see the result but this is my feeling.”
07:08 PM GMT
Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri... elite teens
5 - Youngest players to score against a Pep Guardiola team in all competitions (in his top-flight career):
17y 289d - Jude Bellingham
17y 318d - Ethan Nwaneri
18y 60d - Niklas Süle
18y 63d - Kylian Mbappé
18y 129d - Myles Lewis-SkellyGeneration. pic.twitter.com/2u8yUJ4Aaw
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 2, 2025
07:04 PM GMT
‘I can’t believe my eyes’
Micah Richards on Sky Sports: “The drop-off has been massive. Lack of control. Lack of structure. The goals they conceded, three v Feyenoord, four v Sporting, I can’t believe my eyes when I’m talking about defensive work.
“The balance between defence, midfield and up front is not there.”
06:59 PM GMT
‘We had fire in our bellies from the Etihad’
Declan Rice speaking to Sky Sports: “To win 5-1 is an unbelievable scoreline – we had fire in our bellies from what happened at the Etihad at the start of the season, we really wanted to amend that. I think we did.
“It was an even game up until the third goal. They posed a threat, had a lot of the ball. We had to sit deep. Even though we won 5-1, Man City are a top team.
“It’s been building up over a certain amount of time. They nicked the title off Arsenal when I wasn’t here and then they beat us to the title. It’s been hard to accept that and then everything that went on at the Etihad, you do get that fire in your stadium. The boys are buzzing. We are still off the top and that’s where we want to be.”
06:54 PM GMT
Stones with some honest words
06:53 PM GMT
Alfie Haaland has spoken
06:49 PM GMT
Man of the match Declan Rice wants more
"The last one, I don't think a lot of people think I've got that in my locker!" ????
Declan Rice on his three assists, including his cross-field pass to Ethan Nwaneri for the fifth goal ???? pic.twitter.com/cBaqZRxZEb
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 2, 2025
06:47 PM GMT
Player ratings
Following the six-goal thriller this evening, Sam Dean has rated the Arsenal and City players.
Man City looked all at sea, especially in a second half where Arsenal showed their very best going forward... read on here.
06:43 PM GMT
Odegaard and Havertz ‘very happy’ with the result
06:41 PM GMT
‘Beating City like that doesn’t happen often’
Thierry Henry on Sky Sports: “When they play like that they’re difficult to stop. Let’s enjoy it – it [beating City like that] doesn’t happen often.
“Liverpool are still six points ahead with a game in hand. Let’s carry on working the way we did in the last 30 minutes.”
06:32 PM GMT
Quite a picture
06:28 PM GMT
Intensity too much for City
Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports: “Arsenal looked a completely different side when it went to 2-1. As soon as the game became intense, City couldn’t cope.”
06:23 PM GMT
FT: Arsenal 5 Man City 1
Arsenal are outsiders in the title race against Liverpool, but they are very much in the picture after a resounding win that will live long in the memory. After the perfect start inside two minutes, Arsenal were toiling rather when Erling Haaland equalised but they never looked back after Partey scored within 40 seconds of the restart. City wilted in the closing stages as Arsenal turned the screw, and two teenagers in Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri got themselves on the scoresheet. Apart from Haaland scoring, almost the perfect day for Arsenal.
06:20 PM GMT
GOOOOAALL! Nwaneri with a peach
Inspired by his mate Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri has put the icing on the cake for Arsenal with a stunning goal. Rice picked him out with a diagonal pass, and the finish from the 17-year-old was like something out of Salah or Robben’s highlights package. Curled beyond Ortega into the far corner.
06:18 PM GMT
90 minutes: Arsenal 4 Man City 1
Havertz and Lewis-Skelly are the players making way, and the youngster receives a well-earned standing ovation. Timber flashes the ball across goal, but Ortega palms away. Just three minutes of added time to play.
06:15 PM GMT
88 minutes: Arsenal 4 Man City 1
Arsenal fans have started the “oles”. Nwaneri with some sumptuous skill to dance his way off the right touchline, and Bernardo had a swipe at him. Partey with a no-touch turn in midfield, and Akanji heads behind for a corner after a Nwaneri cross. Sterling and Calafiori are about to come on.
06:13 PM GMT
86 minutes: Arsenal 4 Man City 1
The away Arsenal have ripped City limb from limb in the last 20 minutes, you wonder why they didn’t go for the throat earlier. Maybe it was all part of the masterplan. Or maybe football games are inherently chaotic. When the tempearture of the game increased, City melted. Arsenal playing this out like a routine home win.
06:10 PM GMT
84 minutes: Arsenal 4 Man City 1
Arteta making a double sub: Trossard, who has put a strong shift in and caused Nunes problems, is replaced by Nwaneri. Merino replaces Odegaard, who has looked a little leggy all day despite some flashes of quality.
06:09 PM GMT
82 minutes: Arsenal 4 Man City 1
Arsenal playing with so much confidence now. Raya fading passes into midfield, Saliba Cruyffing away from Haaland, body feints from Odegaard. Haaland then fouls Gabriel and shows no interest in helping the Arsenal defender off the turf.
06:06 PM GMT
79 minutes: Arsenal 4 Man City 1
This has been a hard game to comprehend. Arsenal have played better than this and lost games against Manchester City, but the fact they have scored four goals in third gear says something about City’s present weaknesses. City have collapsed after conceding that second goal so quickly after equalising.
The Arsenal fans are doing the “Poznan” here. This place feels increasingly like a nightclub, to paraphrase Spurs coach Ange Postecoglou
06:04 PM GMT
GOOOOAALL! Havertz wraps up the points for Arsenal
That was a very slick counter-attacking goal. City lost the ball at the edge of Arsenal’s box, and Partey was able to turn and release Martinelli on the break. He waited for the support to arrive from Havertz, who finished with real authority despite his earlier misses. Chopped inside and whipped the ball into the far corner beyond Ortega.
Guardiola kicked the turf in fury there before Arsenal had even crossed the halfway line. A true grandmaster, he sensed City were going 4-1 down the moment Martinelli hared forward before unleashing Havertz.
06:03 PM GMT
75 minutes: Arsenal 3 Man City 1
Lewis-Skelly drops a shoulder and drifts away from McAtee and Haaland. Ridiculous levels of composure, and so much technical ability to roll away from pressure like that. City have the ball again, but once again it is in front of Arsenal’s defensive shape.
06:00 PM GMT
73 minutes: Arsenal 3 Man City 1
Arsenal have a corner, won by some astute play from Timber. There is still lots of football to play in this contest. Ortega flaps the corner down towards Gabriel, and it looked like the defender was going to have a nibble, but no question of a penalty.
05:58 PM GMT
71 minutes: Arsenal 3 Man City 1
Martin Odegaard is booked for his protestations after a free-kick is given against him. Guardiola is making a couple of changes: Foden and Marmoush off, De Bruyne and McAtee the players coming on. De Bruyne has been the scourge of Arsenal on many occasions.
05:55 PM GMT
68 minutes: Arsenal 3 Man City 1
Savinho tries to ping a switch to Gvardiol but the ball flies out of play, to the delight of the Arsenal fans. Arsenal fans watched their team blow a two-goal lead against Villa a few weeks ago so the nerves could be there.
Arsenal on the counter-now, Rice leading the charge after a Havertz sliding tackle on Kovacic. His pass to Martinelli was maybe a little wide, but the Arsenal forward got plenty of power behind the shot. Ortega saves with his forearm. Trossard wins a foul near the corner flag.
05:53 PM GMT
65 minutes: Arsenal 3 Man City 1
Arsenal should be firmly in control now but the game remains a little haywire. Arteta will not want the remainder of this game to be too transitional with the quality of attacking players City have on the pitch.
At the Etihad earlier this season, Erling Haaland asked Myles Lewis-Skelly: “Who the f--- are you?”
Lewis-Skelly has just produced Haaland’s trademark celebration here. That feels like a rather pointed response. This 18-year-old has already shown he’s fearless and there’s another example.
Arsenal fans have repurposed their famous “49, 49, undefeated” song in “49, 49, Lewis-Skelly”.
05:50 PM GMT
GOOOAALL! Lewis-Skelly has scored Arsenal’s third
The 18-year-old receives a pass from Declan Rice in the area, and he chops inside onto his weaker right foot up against John Stones. He bought a ticket with his swinger, and it paid off handsomely. Clean connection from the youngster and Ortega’s hand could not keep it out. A very wholesome moment.
It is difficult to think of a more deliciously provocative move than Lewis-Skelly copying Haaland’s “Zen” celebration as he scores Arsenal’s third. The hosts are using the Norwegian, their tormentor at the final whistle at the Etihad this season, as motivation for everything they do today.
05:49 PM GMT
62 minutes: Arsenal 2 Man City 1
It was a very poor square pass across midfield from Phil Foden, very reminiscent of Patrick Vieira’s giveaway at Villa Park in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final. Partey needed a bit more assistance with the finish than Ryan Giggs.
05:46 PM GMT
59 minutes: Arsenal 2 Man City 1
The game is alive and kicking now. Saliba celebrates a block in his own box, but Arsenal continue to look a little leggy. Arteta needs to use his bench or Arsenal need to find some extra energy from somewhere.
05:44 PM GMT
GOOOAAALLL! Partey restores Arsenal’s lead immediately
City cough up the ball yet again on. Foden with a stray pass directed at Haaland in midfield, and Partey was there to snaffle up possession, and his strike from 25 yards deflected off Stones and beyond the helpless Ortega.
05:43 PM GMT
GOOOAAALL! Haaland levels for City
City will feel that is a deserved equaliser on the balance of the game and Raya’s saves. Savinho found by Foden with a smart dart into the box, and Haaland got himself in front of Saliba to power a header into the net. That never looked anywhere else. Haaland delivers a response to Gabriel’s jibes.
05:40 PM GMT
53 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Arsenal unhappy that Peter Bankes has not awarded them a corner, Trossard’s cross took a huge deflection off Foden. Arsenal seeing more of the ball in the last few minutes. They slice through City’s press brilliantly, but Odegaard’s touch was heavy when there was a chance to break.
05:38 PM GMT
52 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Phil Foden had the chance to break into space after an Arsenal giveaway but he dallied as he carried the ball across the pitch. Foden is fortunate to win a foul from Odegaard. Foden swings the ball in and a combination of Havertz and Rice deal with it.
05:36 PM GMT
50 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Superb defending from Saliba but Haaland turned down the chance to shoot at the edge of the box. Dangerous moment for Arsenal but Saliba eases Marmoush out and Arsenal have a goal kick.
05:35 PM GMT
49 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
The second half has started as the first finished: with City enjoying possession in the Arsenal half and the home team looking to be disciplined in their defensive shape. They hold City at bay again, and Marmoush’s switch of play flies out for a throw-in.
05:33 PM GMT
47 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Saliba defends well in the channel up against Haaland and goes back to Raya. Havertz chases a long ball forward, and Stones heads back to Ortega. Foden releases Nunes with a fine pass down the left, but Lewis-Skelly recovers.
05:32 PM GMT
The players are back out for the second half
Maybe the schedule has caught up with them, but I think Arsenal have a gear to find in this second half.
05:24 PM GMT
Slow City starts
3 - Manchester City have conceded three goals in the opening three minutes of play in the Premier League this season; the joint-most in the division, along with Ipswich and Wolves. Cold. pic.twitter.com/BcFqJIHlw7
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 2, 2025
05:23 PM GMT
A mixed evening for the two centre-forwards
Huge contrast between the two strikers. Havertz has had 15 touches and completed 10 passes. Haaland has had six touches and completed one pass. Havertz has created one goal, but missed a chance that Haaland surely scores. Different horses for different courses.
05:18 PM GMT
HT: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
A puzzling game, with Martin Odegaard’s second-minute goal making things more tense rather than breaking the game open. Arsenal have been cautious with the ball and the height of their press, while City were happy to enjoy possession and stay in the game. There have been chances: Raya has made two important saves, while Havertz missed a glaring opportunity to put Arsenal fully in control. One goal does not feel enough with the attacking talent City have on the pitch.
05:16 PM GMT
45 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Arsenal rather hanging on towards the end of the half, Raya makes another smart save from a Savinho shot that deflected towards his near post. Moments before that, Odgeaard had so much space in midfield but misplaced a simple pass. Saliba bullies Haaland in a duel. One minute of added time to play. Arsenal look the team who want the whistle.
There is tension in the air here. Every duel feels heavy with significance. Saliba just received a standing ovation for robbing Haaland of possession near the halfway line.
05:12 PM GMT
43 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Gvardiol flashes a wicked ball across the Arsenal box, which Raya did ever so well to palm away. Lewis-Skelly defended well at the back post and then the Arsenal left-back buys a foul.
05:11 PM GMT
41 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Martinelli releases Havertz with a very good pass into the right channel, but the Arsenal striker slowed down and delayed rather than challenging Stones with a run into the area. Odegaard is crowded out. City then have a chance to break, but they also slow the game down with possession and Arsenal recover into shape.
05:08 PM GMT
38 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Arsenal with a longer spell of possession now, without really puncturing City’s defensive shape. As tends to be the case with Arteta’s team, they are ultra keen to avoid giveaways that can lead to dangerous counter attacks. Haaland has not touched the ball since the fourth minute.
City have looked toothless almost every time they have ventured forward, with Haaland anonymous, Marmoush disappointing with his final delivery, and Savinho doing little besides asking Peter Bankes to show Jurrien Timber a yellow card. Guardiola desperately needs to change the attacking system at half-time, with Grealish surely an option.
05:05 PM GMT
35 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
This time Arsenal win a free-kick from another aerial battle, Akanji on Havertz. Nunes shepherds the ball behind for a City goal kick under some pressure from Trossard. Bernardo Silva does ever so well to hook the ball away from Rice when the Arsenal man was in a promising position. Excellent defending from Lewis-Skelly, and then a driving run forward gets the home crowd involved.
05:03 PM GMT
33 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Neat football from City, working the ball from their own half to Marmoush who brings them forward. Foden hammers a cross into Gabriel, who goes down winded. City will have a corner, from the same side as Gvardiol’s chance. Another good delivery from Marmoush but the ball pops up to Raya.
05:01 PM GMT
31 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Ortega boots the ball straight out of play from a goal kick. Timber throws it down the line and Arsenal gain some territory after Stones heads out. Then Kovacic buys a foul, shielding the ball well under pressure.
04:59 PM GMT
29 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Arsenal unhappy that they are not awarded a free-kick for a Bernardo barge into Odegaard, but they soon have the ball back. It feels like that Gvardiol chance has renergised Arsenal and given them a slap around the face. Trossard looking lively on Arsenal’s left.
04:57 PM GMT
27 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
What a miss from Kai Havertz! City caught on the ball again in their own defensive third with Rice stealing the ball brilliantly. Havertz again looked for a pass but decided to shoot, dragging the ball wide of the post. Massive let off for City.
Kai Havertz came into this game with two goals in his last three starts so you would not have thought that confidence in the penalty area would necessarily be a problem. Yet that finish was so, so poor.
This is simply what Havertz is: a very good footballer who does lots of things very well, but who has simply never been a consistent killer in front of goal. Some weeks he scores, other weeks he does not.
04:55 PM GMT
26 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
City starting to grow in confidence now, but Lewis-Skelly does really well to hold his own at the back post against Haaland and wins a foul. Timber then brings down Savinho in a midfield position, and is shown a yellow card. He can have few complaints.
City have found a footing in this game now. Over the last five minutes they have kept the ball far better and played through the lines in midfield. It feels like they are finding their groove.
04:53 PM GMT
23 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Nunes the free man for City again with Lewis-Skelly attracted to Foden in a more narrow position. Nunes swings a cross to the back post, which Timber heads behind for a City corner.
What a save by David Raya! Marmoush’s delivery was excellent, and Gvardiol won the glancing and connected with power. Sharp reflexes from Raya to save with one hand and the ball bounced off the bar beyond Haaland.
04:51 PM GMT
22 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Odegaard slightly overhits a pass towards Martinelli. He scored Arsenal’s goal, but their main creative force has been a little clunky so far. City have the ball deep in Arsenal territory, with Nunes pushed high and wide from right-back. Every Arsenal player back behind the ball, City staying patient. Foden delivers, but Saliba was well positioned to head away.
04:50 PM GMT
19 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Strangely, that early Arsenal goal has quietened the game down rather than making it more frenetic. Arsenal are sitting off a touch, and are being very deliberate and considered in their passes when they do get the ball back. City stroking the ball around at the back and feeling their way into the game without threatening.
04:47 PM GMT
17 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Odegaard has tried a couple of cute square passes in midfield which have been intercepted by City but Arsenal get away with it. City yet to muster a shot on goal so far, but Bernardo brings them over halfway but holding off Rice which takes some doing. Marmoush with an ambitious shot from 25 yards, but it was always rising.
04:45 PM GMT
15 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Odegaard is dropping very deep to receive the ball off Arsenal’s defenders. Nice jinking run from Trossard from a tight spot near the corner flag, and the Arsenal forward believes he should have had a foul for a clip by Nunes. Peter Bankes unmoved. Not much in it.
04:43 PM GMT
13 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
City seeing a lot of the ball in the last few minutes, but it is between Stones, Gvardiol and Akanji and in front of Arsenal’s defensive shape. Partey snaps into a tackle well against Marmoush and Arsenal win the throw in. The home crowd will not want Arsenal to sit back too readily though. Havertz wins a foul, Savinho the offender.
04:40 PM GMT
10 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
A flashpoint has just been highlighted after Arsenal’s goal: Gabriel celebrated in the face of Erling Haaland. That is a response to Haaland throwing the ball at the Arsenal defender’s head after City’s equaliser at the Etihad and some ensuing verbals. Awfully early in the game to be engaging in that though...save it for the full-time whistle.
Haaland, too often indolent this season when his team are staring down the barrel, needs to make his presence felt here. I am not sure whether he will be allowed to, though. Gabriel has already given him a couple of pointed shoves in the back. Clearly the Norwegian’s “stay humble” verbals at the Etihad have not been forgotten.
04:38 PM GMT
8 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
City’s turn to enjoy some possession in the Arsenal half, with the home team funnelling back into their 4-4-2 defensive shape. The game might be set for Arsenal to stay compact and break forward off City’s mistakes. The away team will be pleased to get some touches of the ball. Stones finds Nunes with a raking pass forward but the flag goes up belatedly for offside.
04:36 PM GMT
6 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
Arsenal and Martinelli thought they had scored a second but up goes the flag for offside! Correctly, Martinelli was well ahead of City’s defensive line. Odegaard poked the ball through to him and Martinelli lifted over Ortega. The celebrations are cut short.
04:35 PM GMT
4 minutes: Arsenal 1 Man City 0
I think most observers fancied this to be an open game, and it certainly will be now. Arsenal taking the chance to slow the game down, keeping the ball with composure deep in their own half. They are finding space in City’s half when they do cross the halfway line. Bernardo defends against Trossard.
04:33 PM GMT
GOOOAALL! Akanji’s error punished by Arsenal and Odegaard
City caught in the Arsenal venus fly trap. Stones wrapped a pass into Akanji, who took a couple of clumsy touches and Trossard pounced. He poked the ball through to Havertz, who could have gone alone, but he squared for Odegaard who finished despite Stones’ attempted block. Flying start for the home team.
A second goal in three appearances for Martin Odegaard, who previously had not scored in open play this season. I can’t have been the only person who was a bit surprised that Havertz passed the ball, and that he bobbled it so much, but the Arsenal captain did very well to steer it home. What a disastrous start for City.
The home crowd are absolutely bouncing.
04:32 PM GMT
2 minutes: Arsenal 0 Man City 0
Savinho is playing on the left for City, Marmoush is definitely playing like a second striker close to Haaland. City make a little bit of a mess of a long ball forward, allowing Havertz to shoot straight at Ortega.
04:30 PM GMT
KICK OFF!
Manchester City get the game started. It looks like Marmoush is playing a central role with Foden on the right.
04:27 PM GMT
The two teams are out of the tunnel
Fireworks and flames on the pitch at the Emirates. Will this be more tactical like last season’s matches or a slugfest like the Etihad in September.
04:26 PM GMT
Guardiola expects an intense game
It will be so intense, they challenge a type of game where you have to challenge them otherwise they pass through.
04:23 PM GMT
Arsenal did the job without Saka last season
2 - Since the start of 2022-23, this is just the second time that Arsenal have faced a Premier League opponent starting the day in the top four without Bukayo Saka (the other was a 1-0 home win versus Man City in October 2023). Belief. pic.twitter.com/6bpvDegS23
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 2, 2025
04:17 PM GMT
City have the greater firepower
Pep Guardiola has been taking his customary perch in the away team dugout, looking calm compared to his histrionics of late. Squeaking through to the play-offs for Champions League knockout places has clearly been a tonic, but so too has the signing of £59 million man Omar Marmoush. Until recently you would have had Arsenal as favourites for this match, but the arrival from Eintracht Frankfurt of the Egyptian striker, the second highest goalscorer in the Bundesliga this season behind Harry Kane, dramatically alters the equation. Suddenly City’s attack, with Marmoush and Savinho likely to be deployed either side of Erling Haaland, looks as if it could pose serious problems.
04:16 PM GMT
Will no Ederson inform Arteta’s strategy?
Chelsea were punished by direct balls to Haaland when they tried to press City man-to-man. Without Ederson’s ability to hit the centre-forward from long range, will Arsenal be more emboldened to go man for man and leave Haaland isolated against Saliba or Gabriel?
04:14 PM GMT
Will Haaland and Foden operate like a front two?
I have a feeling Pep Guardiola knows he cannot dominate and control big away matches like City have in the past, so has loaded his team with firepower to try to win with high-quality moments. City might resemble a 4-2-4 at times with Marmoush and Savinho either side of Foden and Haaland.
04:06 PM GMT
Arteta speaking on Sky pre-match
We are very used to play these kinds of games, we know what it demands, to win the games, be better than the opposition and also create the atmosphere here.
Emotionally it’s a game that you have to control, there are going to be different phases, a lot of micro games within the game that you have to manage.
04:01 PM GMT
Guardiola on the schedule
It always happens in the Premier League, always they put the toughest [fixtures] - always they are so kind with the calendar. For many years it happens that way. We had amazing success dealing with this calendar. It’s always been like that, we accept it, I’m not complaining because we won the treble.
03:55 PM GMT
Arteta’s thoughts on the rivalry
Winning big matches is always something special. Every time we play a big match against one of our big rivals it brings something extra - the confidence, the emotion, the fact that they are there and continue to win - for that we want to achieve.
The business is to be better than them. That’s it. The only thing I review is what happened during that match, how competitive it gets is normal when two big teams want to win the game. Nothing else from that side.
03:52 PM GMT
Haaland’s hot and cold streaks before and after Arsenal draw
03:47 PM GMT
The rise of Lewis-Skelly
The last time Arsenal played Manchester City, Myles Lewis-Skelly had not even played a senior competitive game for the club. Now, he is an undisputed starter and the first-choice left-back for Mikel Arteta — ahead of international players Riccardo Calafiori, Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
It has been a remarkable rise for the 18-year-old, who memorably was booked before getting on the pitch against City on the Etihad. When he subsequently got stuck into the post-match brawl, Erling Haaland asked him: “Who the f--- are you?”
A fair question to ask, at the time. These days, not so much.
Apart from his on-pitch excellence, Lewis-Skelly’s mother is also helping protect youngsters from football’s pitfalls. Find out more about that here.
03:42 PM GMT
Declan Rice’s pre-match thoughts
Today is about full focus, we know what we have to do to beat them, and with not many games remaining in the season these are the games you have to win.
03:32 PM GMT
One can only assume Ederson is injured
Stefan Ortega possibly cost Arsenal the league title last year with his one-on-one save from Son Heung-min in City’s game at Tottenham in May. Had Son scored, it would have been an equaliser in the 89th minute. Will Ortega be Arsenal’s scourge again?
03:22 PM GMT
The team news assessed
David Raya is indeed fit enough to start for Arsenal. You could flip a coin over Calafiori vs Lewis-Skelly or Trossard vs Nwaneri and Arteta has gone with one of the two academy products. No surprises in the rest of the Arsenal side, it remains to be seen whether Trossard or Martinelli will play on the right.
Ortega is City’s goalkeeper with Ederson absent from the squad. Slightly surprising to see neither Gundogan nor De Bruyne in the City team, but they were starters in the Champions League on Wednesday. It looks a top-heavy team, but one stacked with attacking talent in Foden, Savinho, Haaland and Marmoush. That quartet looks set up to test Arsenal on the counter-attack, but can Kovacic and Bernardo cope in central midfield?
03:18 PM GMT
Man City team news
Your City! ????
XI | Ortega Moreno, Nunes, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Bernardo (C), Savinho, Marmoush, Foden, Haaland
SUBS | Carson, Grealish, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Reis, Khusanov, O'Reilly, Lewis, McAtee#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/9edVtcHhuO
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 2, 2025
03:17 PM GMT
Arsenal team news
Arsenal starting XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Martinelli, Havertz, Trossard
Subs: Neto, Kiwior, Calafiori, Tierney, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Merino, Sterling, Nwaneri
03:14 PM GMT
David Raya arrives with the Arsenal squad
He missed the game in Girona with a “muscular issue”. Arteta did not sound too concerned but after Neto’s showing in Spain Arsenal fans will be pleased to see their No 1 on the team sheet. Just a couple of minutes until that is confirmed.
03:09 PM GMT
Gary Neville ‘fancies’ Arsenal to win
I hope there’s a bit of needle in the game, I hope there’s a bit of fire, that is what we want in big matches. For Arsenal, they are in the midst of a decent run but Liverpool are just fantastic and are squeezing them like you wouldn’t believe. I’ve been there when you’re chasing a team and it really does put pressure on you.
So they have two challenges today Arsenal: the first one is to win the match in front of them which is going to be tough and secondly they’ve got to overcome the idea they have to win mentally.
They are getting slightly better in the season, and I do fancy them to win today.
03:05 PM GMT
Arteta and Guardiola’s selection calls
Assuming David Raya is fit to return, Arteta has decisions to make in two positions: left-back and right-wing. Will it be Myles Lewis-Skelly or Riccardo Calafiori? Arsenal fans will be fairly relaxed whoever plays. It could be argued that Calafiori’s height could be useful to defend Haaland from crosses, but the more agile Lewis-Skelly might be suited to a match-up with a trickster like Phil Foden or Savinho. Further forward, Arteta must decide between Ethan Nwaneri or Leandro Trossard.
Right-back is a problem position for City, will Guardiola stick with Nunes or use Rico Lewis? Both look vulnerable. Guardiola has plenty of depth out wide, with Oscar Bobb returning and Savinho and Marmoush pushing to start either side of Haaland.
02:59 PM GMT
City and Arsenal are ‘at war’
As Jason Burt explores in this piece, the way in which Arsenal approached Mikel Arteta when he was a City coach in 2019 still rankles with the Manchester club. Arsenal have also been one of the more zealous clubs in pushing for greater financial controls and Premier League regulation. On the pitch, City were happy to sell Arsenal Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko in 2022 but rebuffed their interest in Joao Cancelo once it was apparent the clubs were genuine rivals.
02:50 PM GMT
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02:48 PM GMT
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02:47 PM GMT
Arsenal and Man City to do battle again and tension abounds
After two rather tepid contests last season, September’s 2-2 draw felt like the first bona fide classic between Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and Pep Guardiola’s Man City and an increasingly fractious rivalry is renewed this afternoon.
Aside from entertainment value, the return fixture was also a bookmark in the season. It was the day City lost Rodri, a trauma which sent their campaign into a tailspin. It was also a day when the themes of contentious refereeing decisions and so-called use of the ‘dark arts’ started to hang around Arsenal.
In the week following Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card at Wolves there has been further focus on officiating, with Arsenal fans venting their frustration and neutrals venting about Arsenal fans venting. It will only add to a simmering tension in the air at the Emirates, exacerbated still further by Arsenal’s failure (so far) to recruit a forward in the January transfer window.
City have been busy in the market, with Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush experiencing contrasting debuts against Chelsea last week. John Stones, fit again, should replace Khusanov in Guardiola’s team but Marmoush promises to be a thorn in Arsenal’s side. With Erling Haaland and Phil Foden back among the goals and Savinho impressive against Club Brugge, there are signs that City’s forwards are sparking into life. They have won six of their last eight games in all competitions, but City have still looked too easy to pass and run through in those matches.
Guardiola described Arsenal as the “most solid team in the world in all departments”, and despite the impression that they are underwhelming this is their longest unbeaten run in the league under Arteta. That run has contained one or two too many draws though, and Liverpool’s win at Bournemouth yesterday means Arsenal kick off nine points behind the league leaders. If they are to have realistic aspirations of reeling Liverpool in, it is a must win. Gabriel, who exchanged verbals with Haaland after the game at the Etihad, said Arsenal would be ready and waiting for City in the home leg.
Full team news on the way shortly.
