Manchester City (1) 2 v Arsenal (1) 1
By Kaz Mochlinski at the City of Manchester Stadium
“We’re not really here!” is one of the favourite chants in the Manchester City fans’ repertoire, heard at almost every match since the club became re-established among the elite after climbing back up from having fallen into the third tier.
Expressing their continuing feelings of near disbelief at the transformation, it echoed around the stands as the home support celebrated City’s scintillating 2-1 win over Arsenal in their pivotal top-of-the-table tussle for the Premier League title.
And never were the words and sentiments of the song more appropriate than now, as Pep Guardiola’s team surprised even themselves by clawing back Arsenal, so recently seemingly almost impregnable when the Gunners were nine points ahead.
City have not been in first place at all so far this season, after the opening game of the campaign, while Arsenal have stayed out in front for over 200 days, with their positions only being about to switch as the calendar moves into the last week of April.
Mikel Arteta has tried almost everything he can think of to prevent that occurring - and to end Arsenal’s recent run of remaining runners-up perennially. Some of the psychological ploys instigated at training during this time have been fascinating.
One of Arteta’s ideas was to bring in a pickpocket to steal his players’ mobile phones and thereby teach them the importance of maintaining alertness. But, if City go on to take the title this season, it will feel exactly like Arsenal have had their pockets picked.
The improbability that it could happen added an extra intrigue and intensity to a match which was not the title-decider but by the kick-off on this springtime Sunday afternoon had developed into a summit meeting very likely to prove decisive.
No wonder then that the victory and the scarcely-conceivable narrowing of the Mancunians’ deficit in the league standings was greeted with a delight disproportionate to the number of games still left to be played - five for Arsenal and six for City.
Guardiola appeared to start a lap of honour around the pitch on his own, re-enforcing the impression that a seventh Premier League triumph in his 10 years at Manchester City would persuade him to see the end of this season as a fitting moment to leave.
His players promptly joined their head coach on a victory lap, savouring together the joy cascading down from the stands. Excessive? Premature? But if you cannot relish a positive result in such a confrontation then when can you?
“This is bigger than a big Champions League night” insisted the Oasis frontman and Manchester City regular, Noel Gallagher. Even Wembley Stadium last month was perhaps superpassed in the extent of the emotions generated.
The significance of that City success over Arsenal in the League Cup Final is growing ever greater. Having lost 2-0 and then also gone out of the FA Cup at Southampton, the Gunners have now ceded their advantage in the league as well.
The latest result justified the City supporters bringing out their “Panic on the streets of London” banner after the final whistle. Using the opening of The Smiths’ 1987 song ‘Panic’, it is not original but has never been more timely.