Manchester City -
We blew away the reigning champions with a stunning performance at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Martin Odegaard got us off to a fast start, scoring 103 seconds into the game from Kai Havertz’s unselfish pass. But the real drama came in the second half. Erling Haaland equalised with a powerful header, before we roared back to life.
Thomas Partey scored from outside the area almost instantly, before Myles Lewis-Skelly blasted home his first senior goal.
Havertz then rounded off a fantastic counter-attack to make it 4-1, but we weren’t done there. Another teenager, Ethan Nwaneri, had yet to have his say. With the last kick of the game he cracked home a wonderful left-footed strike, just inside the post. The perfect end to a memorable afternoon at home.
Lightning start
We got off to a dream start. There weren’t yet two minutes on the clock when Odegaard fired us ahead. Manuel Akanji got caught in possession just outside his own area and we pounced. Declan Rice played a first time pass into the path of Havertz, being played onside by John Stones. The German could have shot, but squared for the skipper who made no mistake to bulge the net.
Havertz had already tested Stefan Ortega with a snap shot in the opening seconds in a fast start for the Gunners.
Gabriel Martinelli had the ball in the net again soon afterwards, but the flag went up – the Brazilian had strayed offside.
The game soon settled down, and Manchester City had the next sight of goal. A dangerous inswinging corner from Omar Marmoush was met by the head of Josko Gvardiol, but David Raya stuck out an arm and pushed the effort up, onto the bar and safely away from the lurking Haaland.
Havertz off target
A few moments later we passed up a glorious chance to double our lead. Once again our intense press paid off, Rice dispossessed Mateo Kovacic, and the ball ran through for Havertz.
He had time to pick his spot 15 yards from goal, but shot the wrong side of the upright with the City defence desperately scrambling to get back. It was a huge chance.
As the half wore on City began to see more of the ball. Just before the half-time whistle Raya came up with another super save, this time to deny Savinho down low. The Brazilian was free at the far post, and his powerful shot was heading inside the near post until our keeper got down to get a strong hand to it.
The second-half started how the first ended, with City in possession, patiently probing for openings around the area.
City level - briefly
Ten minutes after the restart, City levelled. The build up was all on the right wing. Savinho swapped passes with Phil Foden, then stood up an inviting cross for Haaland to head in at the far post, outjumping Saliba.
It was a towering header from the striker who had barely had a touch until then. But the goal only served to stir us back into life
Parity lasted less than two minutes. Foden’s loose pass in midfield was intercepted by Partey, who had time and space outside the area to wind up for his shot. His effort was already goalbound, but a deflection off the back of John Stones took it past the keeper and inside the post. The Emirates erupted again.
Myles’ Moment of magic
Then a truly magical moment. Lewis-Skelly, on just his 11th start for the first-team, increased our lead with a moment of individual brilliance. He burst into the box from left back, chopped past his man onto his weaker right foot, then smashed home his shot – which was too hot for Ortega to handle.
The Hale End graduate, who only made his debut in the away fixture against this opposition earlier this season, is still just 18. The celebrations were in glorious, stark contrast to last weekend – when he was controversially sent off at Wolves.
It got even better with 15 minutes remaining. Partey launched a rapid counter attack, deep in our own half, with a perfect pass for the onrushing Gabriel Martinelli. He took it on into the box, where Havertz was overlapping. Martinelli’s pass slipped him in on goal, and this time his finish was unerring, low into the corner.
From then on it was total domination, yet the cherry on the cake was yet to come. Nwaneri, on off the bench, rattled home what is fast becoming a trademark finish. He took up possession on the right wing, and stroked a left footed shot just inside the far post.
What a way to round off another big win – taking our unbeaten run to 14 Premier League games.
What’s next
We head to St James’ Park on Wednesday night, for the second leg of our Carabao Cup semi-final. We trail 2-0 from the first leg, and there is no away goals rule in the competition. We then have a week and a half without a match before returning to action away to Leicester on Saturday, February 15.
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