KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTS: Arsenal, nine points clear of Manchester City in early February, are in mortal danger of being overtaken on the title run-in for the third time in four seasons. Back then the Gunners dreamed of a historic quadruple but now they risk ending up with nothing.

City’s 2-1 defeat of the leaders at the Etihad Stadium on goals from Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland brought them within three points of Arsenal and with one game in hand. A clever early equaliser by Kai Havertz proved mere consolation as Pep Guardiola extended his managerial dominance over Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal wore black armbands in memory of Alex Manniger with Arteta making two notable selection decisions. The first was the return of Arsennal’s fit-again captain Martin Odegaard in midfield and the second the preference of Kai Havertz to lead attack rather than Victor Gyokeres. The decision was rewarded in dramatic fashion during the early, nervous exchanges.

City took a 16th-minute lead when the unpredictable Rayan Cherki danced through Arsenal’s defence to open the scoring. City’s fans’ cheers were silenced within 107 seconds when Havertz stretched forward to surprise Gianluigi Donnarumma’s lazy preparation for a clearance. The ball ricocheted into the net, as bizarre an opportunist goal as Cherki’s had been brilliant.

The goal was Havetz’s first in the Premier League since he scored in Arsenal’s 5-1 defeat of City in north London in February of last year.

The speed and the manner of the equaliser took the wind out of City’s sails and prompted both teams to focus more on possession than pressure for the remainder of the first half.

A week earlier City has raised the tempo for what proved a decisive second half against Chelsea and Guardiola had obviously demanded a repeat. Arsenal’s defence proved more solid than the other Londoners and they might twice have snatched a goal on the counter-attack.

First Havertz had a low shot saved well by Donnarumma, making amends for his earlier slip. Then Eberechi Eze shot against Donnarumma’s right-hand post. These were Arsenal’s first goal attempts since Havertz’s opener and provoked City into a potentially devastating response.

Donnarumma started the move with his clearance for an attack carried forward by Jeremy Doku and Nico O’Reilly before Erling Haaland beat Gabriel to restore City’s lead. Haaland had scored in both matches against Arsenal last season but this was his first league goal since the 3:0 win over Fulham on February 11.

City were now in command and Gabriel were fortunate not to be shown a red card as the tension sparked him into a head-on tussle with Haaland. Both players were shown a yellow card and so was Guardiola, yet again, for his histrionics on the touchline. Not that he cared as the final whistle, after Havertz missed one last Arsenal chance, confirmed the victory which turns City into title favourites. Defeat will sap Arsenal’s confidence in not only the Premier League but also the Champions League.

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