Grealish and Haaland put Manchester City top of table at Arsenal’s expense

It is threatening to become a Premier League truism. When Manchester City face Arsenal, they always win. But never in a meeting as loaded as this. City’s 11th straight victory over Arsenal in the competition carried them above their opponents on goal difference at the top of the table, although they have played an extra game. As a statement of intent about a fifth title in six years, it was red hot.

Arsenal were the better team in the first half, running on passion and adrenaline, Bukayo Saka scoring from the penalty spot to cancel out Kevin De Bruyne’s wonderful opener. At that point, you would have backed Mikel Arteta’s team to emerge from their wobble – the loss at Everton followed by the draw at home against Brentford on Saturday.

City simply raised their level. The second half would belong to them, Erling Haaland running riot, his pace and power simply too much for the Arsenal defence. He played a part in Jack Grealish’s goal for 2-1, ushering in Ilkay Gündogan who made the final pass before he rammed home the clincher after a De Bruyne pull-back.

The symbol of City’s chutzpah? De Bruyne walking around the pitch and eyeballing the Arsenal support after his 87th-minute substitution as they threw bottles at him. City drank in a collective tonic.

The respective siege mentalities were a major theme. Arteta had muttered darkly about the VAR aberration in the Brentford game, which allowed the equaliser against his team to stand, saying it had given everybody at the club “more desire to pass this hurdle they’ve put on us.”

Guardiola, though, could see Arteta’s dodgy refereeing decision and raise it by a hundred or so Premier League charges. The City manager has harnessed the mood of defiance and persecution. Happy flowers?