**_LONDON_**; Two points separate Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premier League title race but there appears little between them in terms of belief and self-confidence, even under the relentless week-by-week pressure.
Arsenal produced a gritty performance to edge Wolves at home on Saturday before City turned to Erling Haaland and Phil Foden to conjure up a 3;0 victory over Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace in south London. Neither victory was easy or pretty but each spoke to the length and depth of the qualities needed to battle all the way to the final matchday.
At Selhurst Park Glasner’s Palace created the better chances in the first half before being caught out, just on halftime, by a magnificent Haaland header to a cross from the improving Matheus Nunes. Palace hit the posts in each half but were tamed by further goals from Foden and then a late penalty from Haaland. It was a perfect follow-up to the midweek Champions League success against Real in Madrid.
Further satisfaction for manager Pep Guardiola was provided by both the defensive clean sheet and the attacking efficiency. City are league top scorers with 37 goals and have won the last four games with at least three goals per match.
Guardiola said: “Tough place to come. We are not at the top in some moments. But we can be better and better. We are in a good position and the players are doing fantastic so far. Phil lost a lot of balls in the first half but his goal was so important. He does a great job for the team.”
Foden admitted: “In the first half I was trying to do too much with it so I was really happy with the goal at the right time. It just made us a little bit more relaxed. It was a crucial goal at a crucial time. I’ve been in good form, scoring a lot recently and long may it continue. The manager knows there is more to come from me.”
Glasner was left with the bitter disappointment of what might have been. He said: “The result feels a little bit wrong but we have to accept it. This is how big games are decided. It was small margins. I think City were better in the boxes. You can see why Haaland scores 40 goals every season – great cross, great movement and great header.”
Consolation for Arsenal, runners-up three times under Mikel Arteta, is evidence that they are better equipped this season to scrap all the way to the end.
The Gunners’ 2:1 victory over Wolves – top against bottom – was not as simple as it should have been. Arsenal owed the three points to own goals by goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and defender Yerson Mosquera either side of a 90th-minute equaliser by Tolu Arokodare.
Arteta was thus both pleased with the result and displeased by its manner. He said: “Every time you win in the Premier League, you should be happy because of the difficulty of it. We made it even harder for ourselves so that’s a big lesson for us to learn and improve on.”
Arsenal, despite defensive injuries, have evolved into such a remarkable machine that they can cope. Wolves defied them impressively for most of the game but Arsenal never faltered. Minute after minute, pass after pass and cross after cross they kept forging on towards what was a hard-earned but deserved reward. Arteta hopes the knowledge gained may prove decisive in April and May.
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