Man City Player Ratings vs. Arsenal: Cherki, Haaland Blow Title Race Wide Open

Momentum in the Premier League title race is shifting towards Manchester.

Man City’s biggest players stood up to be counted. | Mark Cosgrove/News Images/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Manchester City boosted their Premier League title chances by beating leaders Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Erling Haaland’s 65th-minute winner sealed a 2–1 win for Pep Guardiola’s chasers and cut the gap to the leaders to just three points. City’s game in hand—to be played against Crystal Palace on May 22—could even now make them favorites in the eyes of many. They could go top sooner, visiting Burnley on Wednesday night. Arsenal cannot afford another slip.

The first 20 minutes of the contest featured the sublime and the ridiculous as Rayan Cherki and Kai Havertz netted at either end.

Arsenal didn’t arrive in Manchester to defend and did an admirable job of pressing the hosts high up the pitch in the opening stages. That was precisely where Havertz’s equalizer came from.

Much to the annoyance of anyone in sky blue, City had only led for 100 or so seconds. Moments earlier, Cherki danced his way through Arsenal’s defense to open the scoring after 16 minutes as Pep Guardiola’s team looked to stamp an authority on this most huge of occasions.

After that, it felt like two great teams matching each other every step of the way. City had a spell of pressure early in the second half, before Arsenal had their turn and Eberechi Eze struck the post.

Haaland slammed the ball past David Raya midway through the second half, after which Gabriel struck the post via a deflection off Nico O’Reilly, and it proved to be enough for City, managing things well and seeing the victory through to the end.

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One Thing We Can’t Ignore

Erling Haaland won the battle. | Alex Livesey/Danehouse/Getty Images

The individual battle between Erling Haaland and Gabriel was always likely to have a huge bearing on this match and it certainly didn’t disappoint. This was a case of two outstanding players, both incredible physical specimens, going at each other for 90 minutes

Whoever came out on top was probably going to deliver their team the result.

All credit to Haaland, because this was his day. The Norwegian, who can sometimes be an absent presence until the ball gets into the penalty area, didn’t shy away from his duties.

When the opportunity to score the winner came his way, Haaland crucially had the strength to hold off Gabriel, keeping the center back at arm’s length long enough to put the ball in the net.

Haaland was laughing by the end because Gabriel ought to have been sent off. Yet another physical battle resulted in both players dragging each other to the floor. Haaland, having had his shirt torn by the Brazilian minutes earlier, rose by shoving his opponent, who responded angrily. They both locked horns, forehead to forehead, but it was Gabriel who made the aggressive move forward with his and was lucky to only receive a yellow card.

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Man City Player Ratings vs. Arsenal (4-2-3-1)

Rayan Cherki magic put Man City in front. | Simon Stacpoole/OffsideGetty Images

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma—6.0: Wanted too much time when Havertz was closing him down, failing to anticipate the danger. Redeemed himself at the hour mark with a big one-on-one save.

RB: Matheus Nunes—7.6: Gets assist credit for the Cherki goal, despite the Frenchman doing most of the work. Still, enjoyed a strong overall performance.

CB: Abdukodir Khusanov—7.7: A year on from a shaky debut season, the history-making Uzbekistan international looks right at home.

CB: Marc Guéhi—7.2: Had O’Reilly’s back at every turn defensively. Yellow carded.

LB: Nico O’Reilly—7.9: Really composed on the ball, even when under pressure in his own half. Played a huge role in the go-ahead goal midway through the second half.

CM: Rodri—7.4: Understated in many ways, but this was him at his subtle best.

CM: Bernardo Silva—7.2: Days after his summer departure was announced, led by example. Covered an awful lot of ground and was safe in possession. Made a massive defensive contribution with just over 10 minutes left that stopped Havertz going one-on-one with Donnarumma.

RM: Antoine Semenyo—6.7: Things didn’t quite fall his way, a slip at the vital moment in the first half, a heavy touch in the second. His best opportunity was blocked by Piero Hincapié.

AM: Rayan Cherki—8.3: At just 22 years of age, world class and he knows it. That celebration alone, statuesque, drinking in the adulation after scoring an unbelievable goal to break the deadlock, says plenty about the justified confidence that drives this young man.

LM: Jérémy Doku—7.5: City fans probably wanted to see more of the Belgian because he was effective on the ball when he got the chance.

ST: Erling Haaland—8.4: Embroiled in a hard-fought physical battle with Gabriel, who literally tore the shirt off the striker’s back at one stage. Clearly in the Brazilian’s head by the end.

SUB: Phil Foden (85’ for Cherki)—N/A: A cameo at the very end is not the role he wants.

SUB: Nico González (88’ for Rodri)—N/A

SUB: Savinho (88’ for Doku)—N/A

SUB: Nathan Aké (90+6’ Semenyo)—N/A

Subs not used: James Trafford (GK), John Stones, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders, Omar Marmoush.

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What the Ratings Tell Us

Gianluigi Donnarumma made up for his earlier mistake. | David Price/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

• Rayan Cherki is a superstar in the making. The young Frenchman was the X-factor and difference-maker in this encounter. It’s frightening to think he will get much better.
• Playing without natural fullbacks hardly matters for Pep Guardiola. Neither Matheus Nunes nor Nico O’Reilly are operating in their preferred positions, yet you’d be hard pressed to find a better right back and left back pairing anywhere in the Premier League right now.
• Gianluigi Donnarumma almost cost his team an important result, but the Italian ultimately redeemed himself by making up his error.

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The Numbers That Explain a Momentous Man City Win

• Arsenal had the chances to win. The Gunners struck the woodwork twice and Kai Havertz missed a glorious header right at the end, resulting in City being outscored in xG.
• City blunted Arsenal’s chief threat: set pieces. They committed fewer fouls and gave up fewer corners, limiting what the Gunners were able to do with their biggest asset.
• Ball retention from City was also better, outfoxing Arsenal in possession, pass accuracy and completed passes.

Statistic	Man City	Arsenal
Possession	59%	41%
Expected Goals (xG)	1.41	1.53
Total Shots	15	9
Shots on Target	5	3
Big Chances	5	5
Pass Accuracy	84%	76%
Fouls Committed	5	12
Corners	8	5

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