On Sunday, both Manchester City and Manchester United faced setbacks in the Premier League after a brief resurgence in form. City suffered a humiliating 5-1 defeat against Arsenal, which saw them fall to 15 points behind league leaders Liverpool with just 14 matches left in the season. The loss showcased the intensified rivalry between Arsenal and City, following a period of relative success for Pep Guardiola’s squad, who had previously won six out of their last eight matches across all competitions.
The match kicked off disastrously for City, as they conceded a goal just two minutes in. Defender Manuel Akanji was caught off guard and dispossessed near his own box, allowing Martin Odegaard to net the opener. Although Erling Haaland managed to level the score in the second half, Arsenal quickly regained control, with a deflected shot from Thomas Partey giving them the lead again. The rout continued with additional goals scored by Myles Lewis-Skelly, Kai Havertz, and Ethan Nwaneri, leaving City reeling and their championship hopes all but dashed.
Across town, Manchester United experienced another disappointing result, losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace at home. This defeat marked a troubling trend for United, with seven losses in their first 13 league matches at Old Trafford this season—the worst record since the 1890s. The defeat ended a brief three-match winning streak under manager Ruben Amorim, who had previously criticized his team harshly.
Adding to United’s woes, Lisandro Martinez suffered a serious knee injury during the match, further weakening an already struggling defense. Goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta in the second half sealed United’s fate and highlighted their lack of a reliable striker, as Marcus Rashford is reportedly on the verge of a loan move to Aston Villa. The absence of key players has severely impacted United’s performance, as they struggled to create significant chances.
In a slightly more positive turn, Tottenham managed to relieve some pressure on their manager, Ange Postecoglou, with a 2-0 victory over Brentford. This win ended a streak of four consecutive league losses. An own-goal from Vitaly Janelt put Tottenham ahead, followed by a late goal from Pape Sarr to secure the victory. Postecoglou praised the team’s effort, especially after having rested defender Micky van de Ven, who returned from injury. This much-needed victory sets up Tottenham for an important match against Liverpool in the second leg of the English League Cup semifinals later in the week.
As the season progresses, both Manchester clubs find themselves in challenging positions, with City facing the likelihood of losing their title and United grappling with injuries and poor performance, while Tottenham looks to build on their recent success.
