Man City hammer out decisive 3-1 win over Arsenal to seize momentum in Premier League title race

LONDON: Manchester City seized the momentum in the Premier League title race after Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland scored second-half goals to secure a 3-1 win at Arsenal on Wednesday.

Having trailed Arsenal by as much as eight points just weeks ago, City suddenly find themselves atop the table after the defending champions extended their recent dominance over the Gunners and showed they won’t relinquish the title easily.

The win puts City in first place ahead of Arsenal on goal difference, although the Gunners still have a game in hand. More importantly, perhaps, it maintained a psychological edge over their title rivals as City have now beaten Arsenal in 11 straight league matches.

“We can all agree that (Arsenal) has been the best team this season, so to come to their place and play against them is not easy,” Haaland said. “But we played an amazing game and we got the three really important points, and we’re in it again.”

In a game that lived up to the billing of the biggest Premier League match of the season so far with moments of end-to-end action, City took the lead when Kevin de Bruyne capitalized on a defensive error in the 24th minute, before Bukayo Saka equalized from the penalty spot in the 42nd.

Arsenal made a bright start but gave away the lead cheaply after City goalkeeper Ederson booted the ball up the field. Right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu tried to pass the ball back to Aaron Ramsdale but only hit it into the path of De Bruyne, who curled a lob over the onrushing goalkeeper and into the empty net.

“I’ve never seen Tomiyasu make that pass back in seven years but he did it today,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.

Minutes earlier, Eddie Nketiah had spurned the best chance of the game so far when