Arsenal mock rivals Man City and spark Premier League title race into life with statement result - reaction
Arsenal 5-1 Manchester City: The Gunners ran riot against the champions to cut Liverpool’s lead at the top
Arsenal sparked their Premier League title challenge back into life by trashing rivals Manchester City in a heated 5-1 win that saw the Gunners earn revenge against the champions.
Tensions between the teams were high after September’s 2-2 draw between the teams but Arsenal earned a statement victory against Pep Guardiola's side, who had pipped them to the title in the last two seasons.
Goals from teenagers Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri ensured a triumphant victory for Mikel Arteta’s side, after Martin Odegaard fired Arsenal in front inside two minutes.
Erling Haaland equalised in the second half but Arsenal restored their advantage within 38 seconds off the restart as Thomas Partey’s strike deflected in off John Stones.
Lewis-Skelly added the third minutes later with his first Arsenal goal, before appearing to mock Haaland by copying his trademark “Zen” celebration.
Kai Havertz made it four, making up for his earlier miss, before Nwaneri came off the bench to complete the demolition of the champions and cut Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table.
Follow all the updates from the Emirates Stadium with our live blog below:
Man City's brutal fixture schedule
8 Feb: vs Leyton Orient (away) - FA
11/ Feb: vs Real Madrid (away)- CL
15 Feb: vs Newcastle (home) - PL
19 Feb: vs Real Madrid (home) - CL
23 Feb: vs Liverpool (home) - PL
26 Feb: vs Tottenham (away) - PL
The Myles Lewis-Skelly moment that summed up Arsenal and Man City’s new reality
It’s remarkable to think this match was in the balance for a time. There was a period where it looked like Arsenal were treating the opposition as if they were the Manchester City of 2023 rather than of 2025.
That ironically changed when Erling Haaland rediscovered his touch, and actually touched the ball again. The Norwegian’s brilliant header to equalise felt like the last time anyone in a City shirt did anything competent. It came in the 55th minute.
Haaland’s goal was like a moment of realisation that finally woke Arsenal up. They went from trying to protect an opening goal, gifted to them by City’s loose play on the edge of their own box, to rampaging at the visitors in a way that reminded of their own best form from the last few years.
The Myles Lewis-Skelly moment that summed up Arsenal and Man City’s new reality
Myles Lewis-Skelly mocks Erling Haaland with goal celebration
Myles Lewis-Skelly celebrated his first Arsenal goal by appearing to mock Erling Haaland as the Gunners turned the tables on rivals Manchester City at the Emirates.
Lewis-Skelly was involved in the heated scenes at the end of September’s fractious 2-2 draw as the teenager, then only 17, was booked for clashing with Haaland.
The Manchester City striker turned to Lewis-Skelly and asked “Who the f*** are you?” after Haaland told Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to “stay humble” in the match between the teams earlier this season.
Gabriel sparks Erling Haaland tensions with heated goal celebration
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes wasted no time renewing his rivalry with Erling Haaland after the Gunners scored within two minutes against Manchester City in their huge Premier League clash at the Emirates.
Champions City made a calamitous start as Pep Guardiola’s side were caught playing out from the back and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard finished first-time to give the hosts the lead after just 104 seconds.
And Gabriel, who clashed with Haaland during the fractious 2-2 draw between the teams in September, celebrated by shouting into the Norwegian’s face as he ran past him to celebrate with his team-mates by the corner.
There appeared to be a further flashpoint between Haaland and Gabriel as Arsenal went on to score a fourth and fifth, with the Brazilian centre-back clapping towards the Norwegian.
In another moment, Gabriel appeared to reject Haaland’s hand when the striker tried to help him to his feet. Gabriel had pulled at Haaland’s shorts when on the ground.
Haaland hit back by pointing to the golden Premier League ‘champions’ logo on his sleeve, telling Gabriel that he has won a Premier League title and Arsenal have now gone 20 years without one.
Man City were 'found out' in 5-1 defeat - Pep Guardiola
Speaking in his post-match conference, Pep Guardiola said he agreed with John Stones that Manchester City’s 5-1 defeat is unacceptable.
"We reacted really well. After the Havertz miss, we played the game in the high, high level we can be. You can lose two, three, four. But what we have done in 65, it was not done.
"Hopefully we can learn the lessons for the future. We are not used to that. Other results, this team has grown up. We allowed the space we wanted to avoid, the space in between the lines, that's why we have the feeling at home.
"We have done 60 minutes really good. I know Arsenal here, the amount of chances they created. We didn't create much. We didn't give a lot for Havertz, didn't' give away from set pieces. But the last 20 minutes we were found out.”
Arsenal to 'hunt Liverpool down' in title race
Declan Rice on chasing Premier League leaders Liverpool. who have a six-point lead in the title race and have a game in hand against Everton at Goodison Park
“It’s down to us to hunt them [Liverpool]. We know the goal we want, that’s to hunt them down,” Rice told Sky Sports. “We need to keep taking reach game as it comes.
“The scoreline in the end is an unbelievable score,” Rice said. ““From the moment we stepped onto the pitch we had that fire in our belly. We wanted to go out there and amend that [the 2-2].
“They had a lot of the ball, we had to sit deep at times. They can still punish teams. In the end, to win 5-1 was top but I thought it was a really tough game.”
John Stones 'sorry' to Man City fans after defeat
"It is difficult. I think all of us don't take losing well,” Stones told Sky Sports. "It is hard to put into words straight after a game like that. Pride hurts. Sorry to the fans that have traveled to come and watch that.
"It is not nice to be involved in that when you know it's not your team in those situations. Credit to Arsenal, this is not an easy place to come to. For 65 minutes, we played some great football at times.
"We were in the game and it was a swinging point. It swung the wrong way for us. I am angry, upset personally and collectively about how the game finished."
John Stones says 5-1 defeat 'not acceptable'
Manchester City’s John Stones said how his team played in the last 30 minutes of their 5-1 defeat was “not acceptable”
“It's not us,” he said. "It is not nice to be involved in that when you know it's not your team in those situations. Credit to Arsenal, this is not an easy place to come to. For 65 minutes, we played some great football at times.
"We were in the game and it was a swinging point. It swung the wrong way for us.”
Mikel Arteta on 'turning point' as Arsenal thrash Man City
Mikel Arteta said Arsenal restoring their lead so quickly after Manchester City equalised through Erling Haaland was a “turning point”.
“Emotionally, I think that was a turning point. We reacted so quickly, had a bit of luck in that action and that set the tone for the team in the stadium as well to go and win the game.
“Then after that, I think the team took a different level, growing confidence, they started to control the game much better and dominate certain areas much better and we went and won it from there.
“It’s a great day for us, for the result, for the manner that we’ve done it and especially against the level of their position that we played.”
Mikel Arteta warns Arsenal against gloating
Mikel Arteta when asked about Myles Lewis-Skelly’s celebrations:
I haven’t seen that and there’s nothing that I want to discuss about that.
“Down to the players, but they know my view on it and we have to focus on us.
“We have to focus on us and leave anything that happens. It’s part of the game on the pitch.
“Whatever happens there, I think we’ve been in football a long time, just leave it, there’s nothing there to do.”
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