Manchester City were left with VAR to thank after their second goal vs Arsenal was allowed following a long check.
Pep Guardiola’s side had already assumed full control of the Premier League title showdown, with Kevin De Bruyne putting them in front thanks to a wonderful individual goal. Despite coming into the game as the second-placed team, City dominated the current leaders and could have widened their gap with Aaron Ramsdale denying Erling Haaland on more than one occasion.
But the champions weren’t to be denied and on the stroke of the half-time whistle, it was 2-0 with John Stones getting on the scoresheet. The England international expertly headed past Ramsdale following an expert delivery from De Bruyne.
However, celebrations were initially cut short when the referee’s assistant raised his flag to rule out the goal. Stones had actually returned to his position at the heart of the City defence, awaiting an Arsenal free-kick.
Officials at Stockley Park put the incident under the microscope and it was adjudged that Ben White ’s outstretched foot had inadvertently played Stones onside. And with that, the decision was reversed, sparking wild scenes of celebration at the Etihad.
“Tell you what, as far as Arsenal are concerned, that is a devastating blow,” BT Sport commentator Lucy Ward said. “Not just conceding, but the way that it took a lot of time.
“They thought they were going to go in and at one nil and it’s that close. It’s a terrific, well-worked free-kick. Right on the edge there, Stones.”
At half-time former City defender Joleon Lescott said: “Very close, but you have to say Ben White is out of sync with the rest of the defence playing them on.”
Arsenal legend Martin Keown was less convinced with his own appraisal and said “we will have to trust VAR have got that right”.
But while there was some debate over the goal, what couldn't be questioned was the quality of De Bruyne's delivery, with his virtuoso opening 45 minutes catching the eye of Rio Ferdinand: "Kevin De Bruyne again, his most assists in a season, I think it’s 25 now.
"He’s been phenomenal this first half. When you look at big games and big moments in a season, this guy has come up so many times in the past and today he’s done the same thing."
Moments after the goal, there was more VAR controversy as far as Arsenal were concerned, with Ruben Dias escaping a red card. The City defender appeared to kick out at White but escaped with a caution after another check.
Ex-Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg said: “I think what they did is look for a potential red card, if Ruben Dias had used any force in the challenge or the kick-out to Ben White.
“He didn’t, it was more of a petulant kick, and therefore the VAR was correct in identifying that it was a yellow card offence.”
Any hope of an Arsenal comeback after the break was then extinguished less than 10 minutes into the second half when De Bruyne grabbed his second and City's third to put the title destiny firmly in their own hands.
