Arsenal unleash their vengeful side in joyous humbling of Haaland and Man City
Arsenal (1) 5 Odegaard 2, Partey 56, Lewis-Skelly 63, Havertz 76, Nwaneri 90
Manchester City (0) 1 Haaland 55
Whatever happens to them in the remaining 14 games of the rapidly-encroaching run-in, Arsenal will be able to look back with relish at the day they gave Man City a taste of the medicine their opponents been dishing out to them for so long.
How they revelled in the discomfort they put the champions through. The full gamut of crowing was in full swing long before the end. "Are you Tottenham in disguise?" and "You're getting sacked in the morning" headed Pep Guardiola's way. The Ole's rang out too.
And then there was Erling Haaland. He did score City's goal but endured a miserable afternoon. He famously gave it large at the Etihad earlier in the season as City grabbed an injury time equaliser - telling Arsenal players to 'Stay humble.' It's his turn now to take up his own advice. There was no shortage of baiting aimed at the giant Norwegian.
Of course this statement win was as much about the much-reduced status of City these days as it was about Arsenal's title ambitions. But it felt so good for Gunners fans who have had to endure much pain at the hands of those sky blue shirts in recent years - last year's narrow home win against them notwithstanding.
Man City fans are fond of taunting the Emirates faithful with "You nearly won the league" chants and even though they will not be the ones denying them this time, the nagging feeling is that this role of spoilers has merely been passed on to Liverpool.
But the Gunners showed here they are not ready to throw in the towel just yet. There should still be more to aim at than St Totteringham's Day.
It's amazing what a successful bit of high press can do to lift the spirits - and a turnover bringing an early lead underlined how much intent was there.
Just two minutes in and Manuel Akanji was pounced on by Leandro Trossard, allowing Declan Rice and Kai Havertz to combine to offer up a simple finish for Martin Odegaard.
David Raya made a superb tip onto the crossbar to deny Josko Gavardiol a headed equaliser from Omar Marmoush's corner but it really should have been 2-0 moments later. Rice did superbly to nick the ball off Mateo Kovacic, but the hapless Havertz - who had an age and a giant target to aim at - contrived to put the chance wide.
The immediate thought was that the missed opportunity would prove costly and City almost levelled before the break when Savinho's deflected low drive almost wrong-footed Raya, who did well to get down to it.
The punishment was not long in coming after the break, though, as Haaland - anonymous up to now - got in front of William Saliba to power home a header from Savinho's chip.
At least the pain was short-lived as, within a minute, Phil Foden's stray pass was picked up by Thomas Partey who advanced before firing past Stefan Ortega - helped by a deflection off John Stones.
Then came the moment of the match, and probably one of the best of the season, when Myles Lewis-Skelly drifted into the inside left channel to take delivery of a Rice pass before dipping a shoulder and turning back on his unfavoured right foot to curl a shot around Stones that Ortega could not keep out, despite getting a hand to it.
The 18-year-old marked the moment by emulating the Haaland Zen pose. What a moment to claim his first senior goal - and in front of the North Bank too.
Gaby Martinelli almost added a fourth - Ortega's right arm denying the Brazilian in a breakaway, but the desire to really make City suffer remained and in another rapid transition led by Martinelli charging from deep, Havertz was fed on the overlap and he checked back inside to rifle home. Redemption.
On came Ethan Nwaneri to humiliate Pep's shattered side one more time. His left footer curled around Ortega and the Emirates bounced around in delight. Days like this are memorable all by themselves, regardless of wider implications - and title aspirations.
Gunners: (4-3-3) Raya - Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly (Calafiori 90) - Odegaard (Merino 83), Partey, Rice - Martinelli, Havertz (Sterling 90), Trossard (Nwaneri 82)
Citizens: (4-2-3-1) Ortega - Matheus Nunes, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol - Bernardo Silva, Kovacic - Foden (McAtee 72), Marmoush (De Buyne 72), Savinho - Haaland
Attendance: 60,355
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