Report: Arsenal 5-1 Manchester City (inc. goals)

Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Trossard, Martinelli, Havertz

Subs: Neto, Kiwior, Calafiori, Zinchenko, Tierney, Jorginho, Merino, Sterling, Nwaneri

Arsenal ensured the gap between them and Liverpool remained at six points after thrashing Manchester City 5-1 at Emirates Stadium on Sunday, thanks to goals from Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Kai Havertz and Ethan Nwaneri.

Mikel Arteta made seven changes to the side that beat Girona on Wednesday, with David Raya recovering from a muscle injury to start alongside Declan Rice and Havertz.

Ethan Nwaneri dropped to the bench after his midweek heroics but Hale End teammate Lewis-Skelly came back into the team – replacing Riccardo Calafiori.

The game couldn’t have started any better for Arsenal who found themselves ahead within two minutes, with captain Martin Odegaard breaking the deadlock to ignite an already lively Emirates Stadium.

City were too casual playing out from the back and Leandro Trossard did well to dispossess Manuel Akanji, before Declan Rice worked it to Havertz, who crossed for Odegaard to slot into an empty net. 1-0.

The visitors were visibly rattled early on and after another poor passage of play, Gabriel Martinelli had the ball in the net – lifting delicately over Stefan Ortega – but was correctly ruled offside in the build up.

City couldn’t cope with the Arsenal press during those early stages but eventually found some composure, and had their first attempt at goal through Omar Marmoush although his effort sailed high and wide.

With the game finally settling after that frantic start, City were inches away from equalising after Josko Gvardiol rose highest from a corner but David Raya got a strong left hand to the header, before the ball bounced off the crossbar and away.

It was a lucky escape for the Gunners but another example of Raya’s reflexes which were razor sharp again.

However, seconds later, Arsenal should have doubled their lead after another City mistake at the back – this time Rice caught Mateo Kovacic on the ball – with the ball falling to Havertz in front of goal.

The German controlled, took his time and somehow shot wide completely unchallenged. He still had Ortega (and John Stones on the line) to beat, but it was a terrible miss from Havertz who instantly pulled his shirt over his head in embarrassment.

Just before half time, Raya was called into action again to tip an obscene Gvardiol cross away from danger, before he got down well to save from Savinho whose effected deflected off William Saliba.

Arteta’s men were becoming increasingly stretched and needed the half time whistle, with City looking more dangerous and some passes going astray – although they always looked threatening in transition.

After the break, the game settled into a familiar pattern and Arsenal were dropping deeper with each passing minute and the City equaliser eventually arrived through Erling Haaland.

Savinho was allowed to travel into the box and hang a cross up to the back post, where Haaland got ahead of Saliba and powered a header past Raya. 1-1.

Momentum was definitely swinging in City’s favour at that point but less than two minutes later (105 seconds according to Opta), Arsenal re-took the lead through Thomas Partey.

The 31-year-old did well to intercept a telegraphed pass from Phil Foden, before advancing towards the area and rifling a shot towards goal that deflected off John Stones and into the corner. 2-1.

With the stadium bouncing and momentum back in their favour, Arsenal were playing with their tails up and made it three thanks to a brilliant strike from Lewis-Skelly.

Having been found by Rice on the edge of the area, he dipped inside Stones and curled a right-footed effort towards the far post that Ortega could only get a hand to – but not keep out. 3-1.

With City pushing for goals, space was beginning to open up on the break and Martinelli forced Ortega into another good save after Rice did well to break forward from midfield.

Arsenal did end up getting their goal in transition and it came from Havertz, who ran beyond Martinelli before cutting inside Akanji and curling a brilliantly placed strike into the corner. 4-1.

It was a clinical finish from the German which made the first half miss even more unthinkable.

That marked an incredible second half turnaround from Arteta’s men who looked nervous during spells of this game, but realised that City were there for the taking if they attacked them – and attack them they did.

Lewis-Skelly breezing past Haaland in midfield kicked off the party vibes, before Bernardo Silva kicked out (for the second time) after Ethan Nwaneri made him look stupid with a lovely piece of skill.

Arsenal fans were ole-ing every pass by that point and there was even time for a fifth goal – to sweeten the humiliation – when Nwaneri curled in another trademark strike with Ortega rooted to his spot. 5-1.

This felt like a cathartic release for the Gunners who have endured a miserable, stop-start season up until this point but had a point to prove against City and when they smelled blood – went straight for the jugular.

Stay humble.