THE NOTEBOOK: Guardiola upgraded when he let fringe duo go and City knew they’d triumph all along

Manchester City struck a major blow in the Premier League title race as they beat league leaders Arsenal 4-1 with a thrilling display in a seismic clash of the top two at the Etihad on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola’s ruthless side rioted as they took 12 successive wins against Arsenal with a masterful Kevin De Bruyne scoring twice and Erling Haaland also on target as City took control of their destiny.

De Bruyne put City ahead in the seventh minute and John Stones rightly doubled the lead with a header in first half stoppage time.

De Bruyne struck again early in the second half, it became damage control surgery for the leaders as Rob Holding took a consolation in the 86th minute.

Mail Sport’s DANIEL MATTHEWS takes a look at some things you may have missed.

Pep got an upgrade when he let go of the fringe duo

There have been some suggestions lately as this new Arsenal have reached new heights that maybe Pep Guardiola will regret selling Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus to a Premier League rival.

There can be no doubt about their transformative effect on Mikel Arteta’s part: the technical brilliance, the tactical flexibility, the winning mentality.

But on Wednesday night, when confronted by this City juggernaut, they looked exactly as they always do here: anything but striking.

Neither Jesus nor Zinchenko was more than a team player under Pep Guardiola. And it didn’t look like they would improve this City side.

That says more about City than about them, by the way. Zinchenko struggled to get the ball or provide creative thrust – after an hour he had the fewest touches among Arsenal’s four backs and only five more than Aaron Ramsdale.

Jesus, meanwhile, had just one touch in City’s penalty area and 28 in total, as the card below shows. However, he received a standing ovation from home supporters after being sent off late.

White’s misstep proves costly

Pity poor Nicolas Jover.

After John Stones headed in Manchester City’s second goal and the flag went up, Arsenal’s bummer (once of this parish) stood on the edge of the technical area – as he always does in dead-ball situations – and gave a huge thumbs up its players.

He praised them, his other gesture suggested, that they held their line of defense. He must not have seen Ben White either.

He was certainly no longer in the picture when VAR intervened.

Mascots enjoy their night

Mascots from both teams were led to the press conference room two hours before kick-off, sat at the top table and posed for photos.

Fortunately, no one asked the boy in Arsenal colors how friendly he found the players. A touchy subject after the team was accused – wrongly, Arteta insisted – of ‘ignoring’ a young girl when signing her shirt.

A cynic might suggest that City sniffed out a PR opportunity as well. While the players were making final preparations, mascots had a kickabout on the field – a privilege not normally afforded.

The only representative of Arsenal was allowed to participate in any case.

Not a privilege they usually get. The only representative of Arsenal was allowed to participate in any case.

Amateur drama

This place was a sea of ​​noise and flailing limbs after Kevin De Bruyne’s great opener. However, the steward behind Aaron Ramsdale’s goal was left open-mouthed.

Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, was driven to a frenzy.

While his players celebrated, the manager stood on the pitch manically issuing instructions to goalkeeper Ederson.

Shortly afterwards he also crossed that white line again, after a foul was committed against his side.

City knew all along that they would prevail

A cruel example of: could you have won this? Or the ultimate two fingers to fate and the risks of temptation?

Before the game, the Premier League trophy – decorated with blue and white ribbons – was brought onto the Etihad pitch.

Based on this evidence, they don’t need to change those awards for the next several weeks.

Ex-City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips certainly looks confident.

He tweeted his father, Gunners legend Ian Wright, before going full-time, asking, “How are you? Just checking in… I hope you’re well, Daddy.