LONDON: Arsenal underlined their status as the only serious pursuers of Liverpool after further loosening Manchester City’s four-year grip on the Premier League trophy.

The 5-1 defeat was only Pep Guardiola’s second against Arsenal in the league as City manager but it might have been worse. Victory was a personal triumph for Kai Havertz who provided Martin Odegaard’s second-minute opening goal and later scored a fourth which was icing on the Gunners’ cake.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot would have been hoping for a draw in North London to extend their advantage at the top of the Premier League and further weaken the potential for either Arsenal or City to launch a serious title challenge.

The first meeting last September was notable for two important reasons. Firstly, Mikel Arteta’s 10 men claimed a draw despite managing only 12.5pc possession in a second half which ended with City’s John Stones equalising in stoppage time. Secondly, that was also the match in which Rodri suffered the cruciate ligament injury which ended his season and seriously weakened City’s title defence.

Arsenal kicked off defending the only unbeaten home record in the league and with a six-point lead over City and with a League Cup semi-final return against Newcastle looming on Wednesday. City had restored their own confidence in a run of six unbeaten league games and the relief of achieving Champions League survival in midweek against Club Brugge.

The question hanging over Arsenal concerned attack, particularly after the vain attempt to buy Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa a week earlier. Thus Kai Havertz was again their centre-forward and proved his value inside the second minute when he provided the square pass for Martin Odegaard to shoot past the recalled Stefan Ortega in City’s goal. Arsenal’s captain was making up for lost time; he had missed the first match through injury.

City had only themselves to blame for conceding so early for a second league match running after the costly blunder by new signing Abdukodir Khusanov the previous week against Chelsea. This time blame was shared between John Stones and Manuel Akanji, trying to play out of defence; Khusanov had been dropped to the subs’ bench.

Against Chelsea City had recovered to victory but Arsenal are far more defensively efficient than the Blues. Almost 20 minutes had gone before they allowed City a sight of goal and then Omar Marmoush’s over-optimistic effort was way off target. Instead it was defender Josip Gvardiol who came closest to a goal after a corner. Alert keeper David Raya pushed the ball up against the bar.

Arsenal should then have extended their lead. Ortega misjudged his pass out to Mateo Kovacic, Declan Rice stole possession but Havertz, with time and space and the goal at his mercy, shot wide. Guardiola held his head in his hands in a mixture of horror and relief.

City had been in charge at the end of a first half and deserved their equaliser 10 minutes after the restart. Phil Foden and Savinho created the opportunity for Erling Haaland to head his seventh goal in eight games and 250^th goal in 313 games for City in all competitions.

City had been in charge at the end of a first half and deserved their equaliser 10 minutes after the restart. Phil Foden and Savinho created the opportunity for Erling Haaland to head his seventh goal in eight games and 250th goal in 313 games for City in all competitions.

Their hopes and celebrations were short-lived. Arsenal needed only 38 seconds to regain the initiative. Again City had only themselves to blame. Foden’s crossfield pass was intercepted by Thomas Partey who drove home via a deflection off the back of Stones.

City, instead of responding, collapsed. Arsenal’s 18-year-old leftback Myles Lewis-Skelley punished City with his first senior goal before Havertz struck his own ninth in the league and 15th in all competitions.

Another 17-year-old, Ethan Nwaneri, struck the fifth in stoppage time. VCity’s humiliation was complete. The old guard laid low by the kids. Old Arsenal hero Thierry Henry, on TV duty, said: “That was all about desire. Let’s enjoy it!”

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