Pep Guardiola insisted there was nothing decisive about Manchester City’s 4-1 win over Premier League rivals Arsenal but acknowledged something big had shifted with the title now in his side’s hands.
City made light of a fixture long billed as a high-pressure title decider, with the dynamic play of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland ripping through the Arsenal defence time and again.
City scored four – Haaland netting the last after twice setting up De Bruyne, who in turn got the assist on a John Stones header – but could have exceeded that in the first half alone on a dominant night.
Rob Holding’s late goal was slim consolation for the Gunners. Arsenal still ended the night top of the table, but their two-point advantage looks particularly vulnerable with a City side who have won seven in a row in the league boasting two games in hand. “It was an important game, not decisive but important,” Guardiola said. “We played very good.