Manchester City took a crucial step towards retaining the English Premier League title on Wednesday with a comfortable 4-1 victory over leaders Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.
City imposed their dominance in a one-sided game against Arsenal, with Kevin De Bruyne scoring twice, John Stones adding a goal and Erling Haaland finishing off the goal festival as Arsenal edged closer to a fourth straight winless defeat.
Rob Holding scored Arsenal’s goal in the 86th minute with a powerful shot.
Arsenal’s balance is frozen with 75 points from 33 games, two points ahead of second-placed City, who have played just 31 games.
De Bruyne went ahead with an early goal for City seven minutes later, after he received Holland’s pass, darted towards goal and smashed the ball into the net on the ground.
Stones added a second goal with a header before the break, and the video assistant referee confirmed the goal was correct after returning to the game.
De Bruyne sealed the victory nine minutes into the second half, just like the first goal, when he received Holland’s pass and lobbed a ball past goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
And against Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League, City could have scored more if not for missing more than one dangerous chance from Haaland.
But Holding scored with a powerful shot following Leandro Drosser’s pass from the right after City pulled back to rest their men in the hope of completing their dream of a hat-trick this season.
In stoppage time, Holland left his mark and scored the fourth goal with a close range shot.
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