1.Last week all over; this week in clover
Anyone who thought charges by the EPL might derail Manchester City’s season has to think again.
This convincing win over their main rivals is not yet the title, but a massive step towards it.
It not only showed they can ignore distractions off the field, but may have been fired up by them.
It’s their second win since 115 charges were laid against them and it looks like the dire legal threats have led to a siege mentality.
Still not at their best, they allowed Arsenal more possession in the first half but showed their class in the second.
All three goals came by pouncing on the home side’s errors.
Arsenal have a game in hand but have to visit the Etihad in April when City may have a third title in a row all but wrapped up.
Next up, City go to lowly Forest while Arsenal face two away games at Aston Villa and Leicester.
It’s looking good for the Blue Moon.
2.Misfiring Gunners
Arsenal took the game to City and looked good in the first half. Even when they fell behind, they came back impressively.
But after the break, they were outplayed. They missed Gabriel Jesus up front with stand-in striker Eddie Nketiah showing his limitations.
Praised for bringing in experience in Jorginho and Leandro Trossard, it made you think what the Gunners really needed was a top striker.
Nketiah has done well but missed a couple of chances that could have the difference.
Now they’re without a win in four games and have allowed City to gobble up an 8-point lead.
After edging Man United in a five-goal thriller, they’ve lost to City in the FA Cup, lost to Everton and drawn with Brentford.
Their next few games will be must-wins.
3.Haaland wins Norwegian derby
By his voracious standards, Erling Haaland was experiencing a goal drought.
The Norwegian phenom had gone four games without scoring!
Was he as good as we thought? Had his 25 goals before February been a flash in the pan? Had he been found out?
In the manic world of instant write-offs and short memories, questions were being asked. Stupid questions.
There were even suggestions that his Viking thunder was being stolen by compatriot Martin Odegaard, also on many lists for Player of the Year.
The Arsenal skipper had gone more quietly about his business but has been the midfield organiser behind the Gunner’s improvement this season.
Well, we got our answer. Haaland, coming back from injury, stole the honours with a well-taken clincher with his weaker right foot.
While Odegaard was subdued and couldn’t live with City’s midfield maestros.
Haaland was a handful throughout and showed his pace and power to ruffle a shakier than usual Arsenal defence.
4.Saka is Arsenal’s star
It wasn’t just his penalty, but his overall game – Bukayo Saka is a superstar in the making.
Recognised by Pep as the main threat, the City boss employed Bernardo Silva to personally police him.
After umpteen fouls, the Portuguese was finally booked only for Pep to call up others for the vital mission of being a Saka hacker.
A painful backhanded tribute to a top player.
Shamefully pilloried for missing a penalty for England in the Euro final, he showed he’s risen above the racism.
After waiting ages to take his penalty with City trying to put him off, he showed a cool head for a red-hot occasion to slot home.
5.Pep the grand master, Arteta the apprentice
It was a meeting of two of the most active brains in football, but it was still teacher versus pupil.
Mikel Arteta learned at Guardiola’s knee for two seasons at City before getting the Arsenal job.
And he not only behaves in a similar manic way in the dugout, he uses the same passing and pressing tactics.
He’s learning fast as we can see from Arsenal’s rise, but he’s not quite there yet.
Pep tweaked the formation at half-time, restored order and ran out a clear winner in the end.
Arteta was reduced to petulantly side-footing the ball away from an incensed Kevin de Bruyne when it went out of play.
Another sign he’s still got a lot to learn.