Manchester City Maintains Title Push with Dominant 3-0 Victory Over Arsenal

Manchester City delivered a statement performance in the Premier League title race Thursday evening, dismantling Arsenal 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium to move within two points of league leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.

Erling Haaland was the star of the show, scoring twice in the first half to put the match beyond doubt. The Norwegian striker opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a clinical finish from Kevin De Bruyne's through ball, then doubled the advantage just before halftime with a trademark header from Josko Gvardiol's cross.

"The team is playing with incredible intensity right now," said City manager Pep Guardiola. "When we move the ball this quickly and press this high, we're very difficult to stop. Erling is in fantastic form."

Bernardo Silva added the third goal in the 67th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error from Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. The Portuguese midfielder's composed finish capped off a dominant display from the defending champions.

Arsenal struggled to create meaningful chances throughout the match, managing just two shots on target. Mikel Arteta's side, who entered the game in fourth place, now sit seven points behind City and face an uphill battle to secure Champions League qualification.

The victory represents City's fifth consecutive league win and extends their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 matches. With Liverpool facing a challenging fixture against Chelsea this weekend, City could potentially move level on points at the top of the table.

Haaland's brace takes his season tally to 28 goals in 26 Premier League appearances, putting him on pace to break his own single-season scoring record. The 25-year-old has now scored in six consecutive league matches.

City's next test comes Tuesday when they host Copenhagen in the Champions League Round of 16, before returning to league action with a crucial derby against Manchester United next weekend.