Serene teens power Arsenal to rout and keep title hopes alive

There were plainly scores to settle from the previous meeting, a desire for one-upmanship in an increasingly fractious rivalry and how Arsenal settled them.

- David Hytner

The moment of the match was provided by Myles Lewis-Skelly; the image of it, too. When the talented 18-year-old scored with a curling shot for 3-1, crowning a driving performance, he sank into a meditative yoga pose that had previously been the copyright of Erling Haaland. What a way to score and celebrate your first senior goal. It was a dig at the Manchester City striker after the acrimony of the 2-2 draw between the clubs at the Etihad Stadium last September, which had featured - among other things - a bust-up between him and his Arsenal marker, Gabriel Magalhães. Haaland was also keen to tell Mikel Arteta to "stay humble," as tempers flared after full time.

For a brief moment it looked as though Haaland would have the last laugh. It was he who rose in the 55th minute to equalise Martin Ødegaard's early goal. But this was a day when Arsenal flexed their muscles, when they had too much power. And when City subsided in end-of-era fashion.

Arteta's team knew they had to win to remain on the coattails of the Premier League leaders, Liverpool; to keep their title dreams alive, however faint they have come to feel. Liverpool have just been remorseless. Arsenal did so, absorbing the Haaland goal to subject City to an ordeal.