Mikel Arteta warns against gloating after rampant Arsenal humble Manchester City | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta warned Arsenal to focus on themselves after they ruthlessly dismantled Manchester City 5-1 and rubbed it in the face of Erling Haaland in the process.

The Gunners scored four times in an outstanding second-half display at the Emirates to inflict more pain on Pep Guardiola’s fragile Premier League champions.

Haaland’s actions in the 2-2 draw between the clubs in September dominated the pre-match discourse, with the Norwegian throwing a ball at Gabriel Magalhaes’ head following John Stones’ stoppage-time leveller, while he also told Arteta to “stay humble” during fiery full-time scenes.

A dose of humble pie was served to Haaland in north London with Gabriel shouting in the face of the City striker after Martin Odegaard’s early opener before Arsenal full-back Myles Lewis-Skelly copied the Norwegian’s celebration after he made it 3-1.

City folded following Haaland’s 55th-minute equaliser with Thomas Partey, Lewis-Skelly, Kai Havertz and Ethan Nwaneri on target to move the Gunners six points behind leaders Liverpool, but Arteta let slip a tinge of disappointment.

“I don’t know, I haven’t seen that and there’s nothing that I want to discuss about that,” Arteta said when quizzed about Lewis-Skelly’s celebration.

“Down to the players, but they know my view on it and we have to focus on us.

“We have to focus on us and leave anything that happens. It’s part of the game on the pitch. Whatever happens there, I think we’ve been in football a long time, just leave it, there’s nothing there to do.”

That was the only gripe Arteta could really have with his players after a memorable day, which started in perfect fashion when Odegaard slotted home to punish Manuel Akanji’s mistake at the back.

Arsenal squandered further first-half chances, with Havertz firing wide with only Stefan Ortega to beat, and were punished 10 minutes after the break when Haaland silenced the home crowd.

But one minute and 45 seconds later the Gunners were back ahead through Partey’s deflected strike in a moment which knocked Guardiola’s faltering side, who were unable to recover.

Arteta said: “Emotionally, I think that was a turning point. We reacted so quickly, had a bit of luck in that action and that set the tone for the team in the stadium as well to go and win the game.

“Then after that, I think the team took a different level, growing confidence, they started to control the game much better and dominate certain areas much better and we went and won it from there.

“It’s a great day for us, for the result, for the manner that we’ve done it and especially against the level of their position that we played.”

Guardiola required a moment of reflection when asked about the Arsenal players mimicking Haaland.

“Oh I didn’t see. That’s good, that’s good. So he did Haaland’s celebration? They have done it? Ah, that’s good. That’s good,” Guardiola smiled.

John Stones described City’s last 30 minutes as “unacceptable” and Guardiola appeared to suggest his players did not stick to the plan.

He also acknowledged the fragility in the group after they collapsed in a similar fashion against Feyenoord, Manchester United and Paris St Germain in recent months.

“You can lose two, three or four but the last 30 minutes, what we have done for 60 to 65, we have not done it and we don’t have a defence,” Guardiola said.

“We had a plan and we didn’t do it because they have pride and they want to solve it, but that’s not the way.

“Always at that level and you have to stick with what we talk. Unfortunately it happened and we can hopefully learn the lesson for the future.

“If you tell me we equalise 1-1 and the next 15 to 20 minutes have been a disaster, we defend deep and we are not good, you are right.

“They can be fragile, it happen many times they can be fragile, but they have a duty to do what they have to do and they didn’t do it.”