ZEROES & VILLANS

Gunners' title charge hits the skids as Villa boss Emery is back to haunt his old club

- JOHN CROSS

THE mark of true champions is being able to handle the pressure.

And one by one, they crumbled. First Liverpool, then Arsenal lost their nerve as Mikel Arteta (left) could not take advantage of what could be a pivotal weekend in the title race.

It was Gary Lineker who made the famous quote: "Football is a simple game. Twentytwo men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win." You can update that.

"Twenty-two men chase a ball for nine months and at the end, Manchester City always win."

Pep Guardiola's men applied the pressure by thrashing Luton on Saturday to go top of the table for the first time since November and neither of their rivals were able to respond.

In fact, they both fell apart. City have the knowhow and now suddenly look favourites to win a fourth title in a row. By comparison, Arsenal looked tired, flat and short of ideas.