City fall to first league defeat of 2025 at Arsenal | OneFootball

Four second half goals saw City suffer a first Premier League defeat of 2025 as we fell to a 5-1 defeat away at Arsenal.

The Gunners had taken a second minute lead through Martin Odegaard before Erling Haaland drew City level with a 55th minute header.

However, the hosts hit back almost immediately through a deflected Thomas Partey shot before a 62nd minute strike from Myles Lewis-Skelly put Arsenal further ahead.

A 78th minute effort from Kai Havertz further extended the advantage Mikel Arteta's side.

And a tough afternoon was then compounded when Gunners substitute Ethan Nwaneri found the target deep in injury time.

What happened

Pep Guardiola’s side stepped out in North London seeking to extend on our fine unbeaten league run across 2025.

Instead, however, just as at home to Chelsea last weekend, City got off to the worst possible start falling behind inside two minutes.

Manuel Akanji’s attempt to play out from deep was intercepted by first Leandro Trossard and then Declan Rice who in turn fed the advancing Kai Havertz.

The German looked up and found the unmarked Martin Odegaard in the centre of the box and the Gunners skipper needed no second invitation to fire home.

It almost got even worse on five minutes, Gabriel Martinelli skilfully converting from a wide angle on the right above Stefan Ortega Moreno after a fine Odegaard through ball but fortunately the flag was correctly raised for offside.

It was a tough opening period - but City quickly regained composure and on 24 minutes were a whisker away from drawing level as a Josko Gvardiol header hit the bar.

Omar Marmoush whipped in a superb corner which found the head of the rising Gvardiol.

The Croatian’s header looked a goal all over but somehow Gunners’ keeper David Raya rose to palm the ball onto the crossbar with the bounce down evading the waiting Erling Haaland.

Almost immediately Arsenal spurned a glorious chance to double their lead after another error at the back.

Mateo Kovacic was dispossessed by Rice as he sought to gather an attempted Ortega Moreno pass out with the ball finding the unmarked Havertz.

From the centre of the box, Havertz had the whole City goal to aim at but somehow the German blazed his shot wide of the target.

Despite that scare though as the first half wound down it was City who were looking the more dangerous side.

Raya was called into action again a minute before the break, the Spaniard diving to his right to superbly keep out a Savinho snap-shot that took a crucial deflection.

City’s dominance continued after the restart and it was no less than the champions deserved when Erling Haaland drew us level on 56 minutes.

Savinho was the architect, the Brazilian rounding off a fine build up by delivering the most inviting of crosses.

There was still work to be done but the Norwegian did what he does best, shrugging off the attentions of William Saliba before planting a superb header past Raya.

It was his 19th league goal of the season and also saw him become the fastest player to record 250 senior club goals.

It felt as if it would be the launchpad for more City joy – instead Arsenal responded by retaking the lead almost immediately in slightly fortuitous circumstances through Thomas Partey.

A Phil Foden pass deep in City territory was intercepted by Partey and the Gunners then let fly from distance, the ball taking a wicked deflection off John Stones to leave Orega Moreno helpless.

It was a cruel blow and City’s task got even tougher on 64 minutes when Myles Lewis-Skelly struck to extend the Gunners lead.

The teenager, who had been sent off at Wolves last week only for the decision to be rescinded, drifted into the Blues box before shimmying and despatching a right footed effort from 16 yards.

Oretga Moreno got a hand to the ball but couldn’t prevent the shot from finding the top right corner of the goal.

In an instant the game had been turned on its head and a tough second half then saw Havertz further extend Arsenal's advantage.

From a fast counter-attack, Martinelli found the advancing Havertz inside the City  box and the striker whipped a fine strike into the far corner.

And a hugely frustrating second half was then rounded off when Arsenal substitute Ethan Nwaneri curled in a 94th minute shot.

TEAMS

ARSENAL XI: Raya, Timber, Gabriel, Saliba, Lewis-Skelly (Calafiori 88), Partey, Rice, Odegaard (Merino 84), Martinelli, Trossard (Nwaneri 84), Havertz (Sterling 88)

Subs: Neto, Zinchenko, Tierney, Jorginho

CITY XI: Ortega Moreno, Nunes, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Bernardo (C), Savio, Marmoush (De Bruyne 72), Foden (McAtee 72), Haaland

Subs: Carson, Grealish, Gundogan, Reis, Khusanov, O'Reilly, Lewis

HAALAND LANDMARK

Erling Haaland's secnd half header saw the City forward chalk up another striking landmark.

It marked his 250th career goal - and also meant the Norwegian had achieved that figure in record time.

He notched it up in his 313rd appearance, 14 games quicker than it took previous record holder Lionel Messi to achieve that tally.

Pep’s verdict

To follow

Player verdict

To follow

What it means

Despite the setback, Pep Guardiola’s side remain in fourth place in the Premier League table.

We have 41 points from 24 games, the same as Newcastle but are above the Magpies on goals scored.

Nottingham Forest are third on 47 points, Arsenal second on 50 and Liverpool top with 56.

What’s next

City are back in action next Saturday when the focus switches to the FA Cup.

We travel to Leyton Orient to take on the League One side in an FA Cup fourth round clash.

The action at the Gaughan Group Stadium gets underway at 12.15pm (UK).