Erling Haaland swings title race in Man City’s favour by downing Arsenal
Erling Haaland had his shirt torn by Gabriel Magalhães shortly after scoring - Scott Heppell/Reuters Arsenal have lost their grip on the Premier League title race. The image of this epic encounter was not the goal of the season scored by Rayan Cherki, in arguably the game of the season, and it was not the terrible mistake made by Gianluigi Donnarumma to almost immediately hand the visitors an equaliser. It was not even Erling Haaland’s predatory winner.
Instead it was Gabriel Magalhães so desperately pulling at Haaland to try to stop him that he ripped the Manchester City striker’s base-layer, the garment under his shirt, in two. It slipped from Gabriel and Arsenal’s grasp. The defender was left holding nothing, a rag, and it felt symbolic of this title race.
Arsenal are still three points ahead, having played a game more, and with a one-goal better goal difference. But this felt huge. This felt defining.
This felt like the moment that showed City will be champions again. And Haaland did it. And his response to Gabriel?
It was to laugh having, a few minutes earlier, scored. He and City out-played and ultimately bullied Arsenal who have – for so long – been the physically dominant team of the campaign. Later Gabriel would square up to Haaland and somehow escape a red card after motioning to headbutt the striker.
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