It is threatening to become a Premier League truism. When Manchester City face Arsenal, they always win. But never in a meeting as loaded as this. City’s 11th straight victory over Arsenal in the competition carried them above their opponents on goal difference at the top of the table, although they have played an extra game. As a statement of intent about a fifth title in six years, it was red hot.
Arsenal were the better team in the first half, running on passion, showing character to recover from Kevin De Bruyne’s wonderful opener. It was Bukayo Saka who equalised with the second-most important penalty of his career, coolly rolled past Ederson and, at the interval, you would have backed Mikel Arteta’s team to emerge from their wobble – the loss at Everton followed by the draw at home against Brentford on Saturday.
