AN ODE TO JOY

Norwegian ace starts the march back to the summit for Arsenal

- John Cross

AFTER all the tension at the Etihad, this was a comfortable night for Arsenal by comparison.

More importantly, it put them back on the Premier League summit - for 24 hours at least.

Mikel Arteta was able to rest and rotate his squad ahead of a daunting fixture schedule and the win was made in no small part in Arsenal's academy.

Homegrown duo Emile Smith Rowe, right, and Reiss Nelson were excellent on rare starts, while captain Martin Odegaard led by example as usual.

Returning to the top can only bolster the Gunners' confidence as they approach the business end of the season. They have to go to Brighton on Saturday tea time, face Bayern Munich in the Champions League next Tuesday and Aston Villa at the Emirates the following Sunday.

They can do all that with some batteries recharged as Declan Rice was only a substitute, Bukayo Saka had a complete rest, while Gabriel Martinelli was another late substitute.