By Phil Hay
The Premier League title isn’t Manchester City’s for the taking, but nor is it Arsenal’s to lose any longer. City’s rip-roaring win at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday has seen to that. The top of the table is now too close to call, so much so that some of our writers are gearing up for a scenario where the division is decided on goal difference.
That happened in 2011-12 — in City’s favour, coincidentally — and it could feasibly happen again, not least because the clubs’ remaining fixtures (Arsenal’s nervy results notwithstanding) are eminently winnable. Arsenal have 70 points and a goal difference of plus 37. City have 67 points, a game in hand, and a goal difference of plus 36. It’s ridiculously tight, but two factors give City the edge: one, their current, superior form; and two, their track record of nicking these races by a nose.
Put simply, they had to win yesterday. Guardiola was right to say that defeat to Arsenal would have been game over for any title aspirations. They rode a bad error from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the first half, his dithering gifting an equaliser to Kai Havertz, and Erling Haaland — barren in the Premier League of late — forced in a 2-1 winner with a poacher’s goal just after the hour, below. Haaland and City coming good when it matters? It’s what they do.
Duel concerns
Arsenal, to their credit, had a go, and a late missed header from Kai Havertz left Arteta on his knees. There were chances at both ends — other moments where the contest could have swung this way or that — and the sole point of controversy (aside from Haaland calling the immense Bernardo Silva “Fabio f***ing Cannavaro”) was a second-half set-to between Haaland and Gabriel.
This pair have history, going back to Haaland pinging the ball against Gabriel’s head during the 2-2 draw between City and Arsenal at the Etihad last season. They tussled throughout yesterday’s clash and Gabriel risked repercussions when he flicked his forehead at Haaland as the pair squared up in the closing minutes.
Both players were booked and the VAR chose not to recommend more serious punishment for Gabriel. It was a big call because a red card for violent conduct would have incurred a three-match ban, at a time when Arteta cannot afford to lose one of his best defenders. What odds on Gabriel weighing in shortly with a critical goal from a set piece?
This is how The Athletic’s new columnist, former Premier League referee Graham Scott, saw it in our post-match analysis piece. He reckoned the officials called it right:
“Gabriel was stepping away, and there was no contact that would have looked like violent conduct to referee Anthony Taylor. VAR John Brooks would have been aware that his colleague had a good view of the incident, and had scant evidence to justify recommending an upgrade to red.”
The Athletic
