Arsenal now face the prospect of being bridesmaids for a fourth Premier League season in a row, with a trophy drought extending to 2020 and a Premier League title wait dating back to 2004 extending another season after being defeated 2-1 by Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.
Erling Haaland has scored the winner that’s left Arsenal crestfallen as Manchester City transformed the Premier League title race in their favour with a crucial 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Haaland’s league-leading 23rd goal of the campaign in the 65th minute on Sunday (Monday AEST) allowed City to trim the gap to Arsenal, the long-time frontrunners, to just three points.
City have a game in hand at Burnley on Wednesday, after which Pep Guardiola’s team could have taken over as leaders.
Timing is everything and now Arsenal have lost back-to-back games in the Premier League for the first time since December 2023 in a run of losing four of their last six matches in all competitions.
“I’m very upset with the result because of the way we played. It’s a new league now and we have three points advantage with five games to play. Everything is still to play for,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said.
He added: “I am very disappointed not to get a result in the game and in the manner that it happened, but not the performance. The players felt we lost an opportunity but we have the advantage in the league in the next five game, so let’s go.”
The City machine is simply rolling on at the right time of year; they are unbeaten in 10 league games.
“Momentum changes,” Guardiola said.
“People said to me that the momentum from Arsenal is bad. What I saw today wasn’t a bad momentum. They are in the semi-final of the Champions League, where they haven’t lost a single game. Momentum shifts in one instance.
“The reality is just one thing: they are top of the league. One ahead on goal difference. We have to enjoy it, celebrate it, take the good things. But don’t lose the focus. In three days we go to Burnley.”
Iconic Arsenal title winning captain Patrick Vieira was not quite so diplomatic.
Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “Today, [Arsenal] had a good performance but the difference between good and great teams are the teams who are not used to winning and the ones who compete at this level all the time.
“You can see the difference today on the field and those top players made a difference today.
“The momentum is on City’s side. It will be interesting to see how Arsenal recover because it’s a huge disappointment for them. They will feel the pressure more now.
“I always question the mental strength of the team and I will question it more now regarding the result today.
“I believe City will do it.”
"There's a lot of pressure on Arsenal"
Patrick Vieira says this "is the moment" that the club needs to perform 😤 pic.twitter.com/NIBGvCdVFA — Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 19, 2026
The post mortems have already begun on the assumption that the title will now evade Arsenal and Arteta once again. The BBC site is leading with the question “Arteta must prove he won’t be remembered as Arsenal’s ‘nearly man’.”
Writing for the BBC, their Chief Football Writer Phil McNulty surmised: “The Gunners simply must win a trophy this season to deliver the answer.
“To let it slip and finish empty-handed would be cruel, but this is the environment they are operating in.”
Manchester United legend said Kai Havertz’s chance that he missed felt like a “massive moment” in Arsenal’s season.
“They weren’t ruthless today,” Gary Neville said on Sky Sports.
"They weren't ruthless today"
Gary Neville says Arsenal need to finish their chances to get this title over the line 😤 pic.twitter.com/mO3aZSbKkT — Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 19, 2026
“The performance was there – the performance was as good as you’ll see a team come and play at Manchester City, really good, but they missed four really big chances…if you said you’re going to get four massive chances at Manchester City here, you’d say you have to take one of them and they’ve not been ruthless and taken them!”
Erling Haaland squares up to Gabriel. Photo: Getty Images
Rayan Cherki gave City the lead in the 16th minute of a frenetic match at Etihad Stadium by weaving into the area and converting a shot in off the inside of the post.
But Arsenal were back level inside two minutes after Kai Havertz capitalised on a shocking error from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who carelessly delayed his clearance, with the ball rebounding into the net from close range off the German international.
Both Haaland and Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze struck the goal frame before the Norwegian superstar slotted home a low shot from Nico O’Reilly’s cross, dealing a huge blow to Arsenal’s hopes of a first league championship since 2004.
City are expected to beat struggling Burnley, but they do have a tougher-looking run-in than Arsenal, including trips to Everton and Bournemouth.
Elsewhere, Liverpool and Aston Villa look to be headed for the Champions League after grabbing stoppage-time winners.
Virgil van Dijk headed home from a corner in the 10th minute of added-on time to earn Liverpool a 2-1 victory at Everton in a Merseyside derby featuring a record-tying goal from Mohamed Salah.
Salah, who is leaving Liverpool at the end of the season after nine trophy-filled seasons, marked his final derby by slotting in a low finish in the 29th minute. His ninth Merseyside derby goal drew him even with Liverpool great Steven Gerrard for the most in the Premier League era (since 1992).
Villa, meanwhile, beat Sunderland 4-3 thanks to Tammy Abraham’s goal in the third minute of stoppage time.
Fourth-placed Villa moved 10 points ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea, with Liverpool between them, but stretched their advantage over Chelsea to seven points.
At the other end of the table, Morgan Gibbs-White scored a second-half hat-trick in the space of …. as Nottingham Forest rallied to beat Burnley 4-1 and further boost their survival hopes.
Forest moved five points clear of third-to-last Tottenham in the relegation zone, while next-to-last Burnley also slipped closer to the drop to the Championship.