In a stunning turn of events, Arsenal, known as the “Gunners,” secured their first victory against Manchester City in the Premier League since 2015, catapulting them to the second spot on the league table. Their North London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, stand shoulder to shoulder with Arsenal at the top of the EPL standings.
In the match that ended in the early hours of Monday, Arsenal claimed victory with a 1-0 scoreline, courtesy of Martinelli’s deflected goal. This win not only ended a five-year losing streak against City but also propelled Arsenal to a tie with Spurs at 20 points, albeit falling to second place due to goal difference. Manchester City, on the other hand, suffered their first back-to-back league defeats in five years, placing them third with 18 points.
Arsenal manager Arteta described the victory as monumental: “It feels like a significant win, a very special one. We haven’t beaten Manchester City for a long time. Today, we felt like the day had come, and we needed everyone to give their best, and we did.”
Star striker Haaland’s lackluster performance cost City the game, managing only one attempt on target in the first five minutes, which was cleared off the line by Arsenal’s Rice.
City’s manager Guardiola noted the intensity of the match and believed a single moment decided the outcome: “I think both teams didn’t have many chances; it was a very intense game. One action decided the game.”
In the meantime, Liverpool missed a golden opportunity to surpass Manchester City as they settled for a 2-2 draw against Brighton. Salah’s goal had briefly given Liverpool a lead, but Dunk’s equalizer in the 78th minute meant Liverpool had to settle for a draw, placing them fourth with 17 points, just one point behind Manchester City. Brighton sits sixth with 16 points.
In another match, Newcastle United, fresh from a convincing 4-1 victory against PSG in the Champions League, could only manage a 2-2 draw against West Ham United. Soucek opened the scoring for West Ham in the eighth minute, but Isak’s two goals in the 57th and 62nd minutes put Newcastle ahead. However, Kudus equalized for West Ham in the 89th minute, forcing both teams to share the points.