Man City wrest Premier League lead from Arsenal
Sports Desk, Feb 15 (EFE).- Defending champions Manchester City went top of the Premier League with a solid 3-1 victory Wednesday over erstwhile leaders Arsenal, who suffered their first home defeat of the season.
While both teams have 51 points, City are 10 better on goal difference, though the Gunners have a game in hand.
Arsenal were the better side in the first half, with the glaring exception of an individual error by defender Takehiro Tomiyasu that allowed Kevin de Bruyne to put the visitors ahead in the 24th minute.
Bukayo Saka converted from the spot in the 42nd minute to bring the hosts level.
The referee awarded the penalty for a collision between City goalkeeper Ederson and Eddie Nketiah that came after the Arsenal man got off a shot that was stopped on the line by Nathan Ake.
City looked to have won a penalty in the 57th minute for a foul by Gabriel on Erling Haaland, but VAR determined that the Norwegian was offside.
In the 69th, Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale denied Haaland, but he couldn’t stop Jack Grealish for nudging City into the lead three minutes later.
Haaland stretched the lead to 3-1 in the 82nd minute with his 26th goal in the Premier League, matching Sergio Agüero’s club record total for the entire 2014-2015 season.
Pep Guardiola has now gotten the better of former assistant Mikel Arteta on eight of the nine occasions City and Arsenal have faced each other since younger man took charge of the Gunners in December 2019.
msg/dr
