Manchester City-Arsenal 4-1: goals from De Bruyne (brace), Stones, Haaland, Holding

One of the notes in Leonardo da Vinci’s codes notes how sad the disciple is who, while progressing, fails to surpass the master. The resignation on Mikel Arteta’s face doesn’t even hide the sense of this frustration after the 4-1 win at the Etihad Stadium. His Arsenal melted away at the most beautiful moment, he underwent a lesson on the pitch that maybe in the future will be a warning. For the moment, however, it is burning, because Manchester City are two points behind with two games to make up, with a better goal difference. In short, the prospect of letting such a long-chased title slip out is more concrete than ever. Pep Guardiola won it right from the preparation, the reading designed to defuse the opponents’ dribble was simply perfect. The two worked together for three seasons and over two hundred races, but the impression is that only one of the two coaches really knows the other.

the motion

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A real cage, of five or six men, around the halfbacks and sometimes even around Zinchenko when he squeezes in to give an extra outlet to the maneuver. The Gunners have never come to terms with it also because, apart from the phrasing, they cannot count on the physicality of the forwards. That, in reality, is a weapon available to the City, which exploits it effectively. The wings open the defense’s shirts, Haaland lowers himself and De Bruyne launches himself into space: a scheme that is as simple in concept as it is profitable in execution. Ramsdale took advantage of the attacker’s poorly concentrated evening to do well, but the Belgian was impeccable: two goals with two goals from him and an assist, in the middle the Stones goal in the first half’s added time that cut off his rivals’ legs. In the extra time of the recovery, Haaland also signed up for the party, after an evening of wet dust. Ederson’s gloves are nearly pristine.

the match

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Both Guardiola and Arteta have to face an absence in defence, Aké on one side and Saliba on the other. In the City, Mahrez starts from the bench to which Bernardo Silva is preferred, Arsenal recovers Xhaka. After three minutes there is already a promising episode for streams of slow-motion footage and pungent opinions, when Thomas spreads his foot a little too far in the area to protect a loose ball on which De Bruyne was ready to pounce. An intervention very borderline, which the referee Oliver decides to sanction in favor of the defense. In the 7th minute, however, it can already be widely declassified, with three touches the Citizens go on goal: launch from the rear, Haaland works possession well in midfield, De Bruyne aims the goal and with the usual billiard touch slips Ramsdale at the near post. Arsenal didn’t know how to get out of quicksand, Martinelli and Saka were isolated and Odegaard was apathetic. Haaland begins his personal duel with the opposing goalkeeper, who opposes him with the angled left foot (28′), the volley (32′) and the short touch (41′). However, he can do nothing when, on the trajectory designed by De Bruyne, Stones finds the flaw in the Gunners’ line and breaks off, finding the far post. The flag is raised, the Var makes up for it and Manchester City can go to rest with a reassuring double advantage.

the recovery

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Haaland has yet another chance to score, alone against Ramsdale, who just needs to stand still to neutralize the Norwegian’s central conclusion with his feet. Tonight, however, Guardiola’s aces are interchangeable. Odegaard loses a bad ball on the trocar, Haaland recovers it and gives it to De Bruyne, who opens the plate just enough for his personal double in the 54th minute. Arteta’s team is visibly disoriented, the rhythms slow down and even the reactions of nerves seem to be devoid of meaning. Holding’s precise right foot tries to restore some morale in the final, but in the added time Haaland takes away the satisfaction of putting his seal on the match for the final 4-1. City is advancing inexorably, they have taken the whole wake. And overtaking is now inevitable.

the other races

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Bitter evening for Roberto De Zerbi and his Brighton team, who let themselves be reassembled and crushed (3-1) by Nottingham Forest who hadn’t won for almost three months and thus lifted themselves out of the relegation zone. However, those who fare the worst are Chelsea, who suffer the third consecutive defeat at home against Brentford (0-2). Gakpo and Matip cancel Paquetà’s goal in Liverpool’s success in London against West Ham, to stay in the Europe zone.