Manchester City back on top in title race with win away to Arsenal

Manchester City claimed three points in the first of two Premier League title showdowns with Arsenal, beating the Gunners 3-1 at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

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The result puts the two sides level on 51 points atop the PL table, with Manchester City edging ahead on goal difference (+36 to +26), though Arsenal have a game in hand (23 and 22 played, respectively).

Arsenal will visit Etihad Stadium for the return fixture on Wednesday, April 26, in each side’s sixth-to-final game of the Premier League season.

Manchester City landed the first blow after 24 minutes, and it was an uncharacteristic Arsenal mistake that handed them the goal on a silver platter. Ederson launched a long ball to Jack Grealish on the left wing and though Takehiro Tomiyasu got to it first, the Japanese international’s attempted pass back to goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale came up well short. Kevin De Bruyne pounced and lifted the ball over Ramsdale with a first-time, left-footed lob to make it 1-1.

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Arsenal’s equalizer came in the 42nd minute, courtesy of another defensive mistake, this time by Ederson. Eddie Nketiah was first to a ball played in behind Man City’s defense and got a shot away as Ederson rushed out and clattered into him as the ball slowly rolled toward goal, but Nathan Ake slid in and hooked the ball away just before it crossed the goal line. Referee Anthony Taylor immediately whistled for the contact and gave Arsenal the penalty, which Bukayo Saka dispatched with ice water running through his veins.

It was a hat trick of defensive errors that gave Manchester City their second goal, as Arsenal continued to play the ball out of the back despite coming under increased