EPL: Arsenal Thrash Man City To Boost Title Challenge, Man Utd’s Woes Deepen After Defeat To Palace
Arsenal kept their Premier League title hopes alive with a stunning 5-1 victory over Manchester City on Sunday, while Manchester United suffered another disappointing home defeat, losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace.
The contrasting fortunes of these clubs have significant implications as the season approaches its climax.
In a highly anticipated clash between the top two teams from the past two seasons, Arsenal took the lead just two minutes into the match. A defensive error from Manuel Akanji allowed Kai Havertz to set up Martin Ødegaard, who slotted the ball home to give the Gunners an early advantage. However, Havertz squandered a golden opportunity to extend the lead, a miss that could have proved costly.
Early in the second half, City equalized through Erling Haaland, marking his 250th career club goal with a well-placed header. Yet, City’s defense faltered again just after the restart when Thomas Partey’s shot deflected off John Stones, restoring Arsenal’s lead within 105 seconds.
Arsenal’s young talent, Myles Lewis-Skelly, made a significant impact, scoring his first goal for the club with a curling shot that celebrated the moment by mimicking Haaland’s trademark meditation pose. Havertz later added Arsenal’s fourth with a low shot into the far corner, showcasing the team’s counter-attacking prowess.
The rout was capped off in stoppage time when another teenager, Ethan Nwaneri, curled in a delightful shot, sealing a comprehensive victory for the Gunners. The result leaves Manchester City in fourth place, now 15 points adrift of the top, effectively ending their hopes of a fifth consecutive title.
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s woes continued as they succumbed to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. Jean Philippe-Mateta emerged as the hero for the Eagles, scoring both goals in the second half. This defeat marks United’s fifth loss in their last six home league games, raising further questions about their form under manager Ruben Amorim.
United began brightly, with Kobbie Mainoo hitting the post, but their attacking threat quickly faded. Palace, missing the creative spark of Eberechi Eze for most of the match, found the breakthrough when Mateta fired home after a free-kick from Eze led to a rebound off the bar.
The situation worsened for United as Lisandro Martinez was stretchered off with a serious knee injury. Palace then sealed their victory when Daniel Munoz broke through United’s defense, squaring the ball for Mateta to score his sixth goal in five games, lifting the Eagles above United in the table.
Tottenham eased the pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou with a 2-0 win at Brentford. The Bees were left frustrated after missing several chances, including a header from Yoane Wissa that hit the bar. Spurs capitalized on a defensive error by Brentford, taking the lead through an own goal from Vitaly Janelt and sealing the win with a counter-attack goal from Pape Sarr.
