- Manchester City defeated Arsenal
- Move within three points of the Gunners
- Players stood out for reasons both good and bad
Manchester City conquered Arsenal in an intense battle at the Etihad Stadium, and it is fair to say that some players impressed more than others.
Here are three players who will be delighted by their respective performances, and three more who have some work to do before City face off against Burnley.
Winners
Erling Haaland scored the winning goal for Man City
There was one moment in Man City’s most recent match when Erling Haaland had the chance to put either Jeremy Doku or Antoine Semenyo through on goal. The Norwegian opted for the latter, but his pass was far from accurate.
However, he made up for this error with a score of his own which would go on to deliver a victory for the Citizens.
"Manchester City in charge, again!"
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 19, 2026
Erling Haaland powers through to find the back of the net 💪 pic.twitter.com/tt04wbQnaz
Haaland battled hard throughout the game and had to put up with a lot of nonsense from Gabriel. He could have been a bit more clinical, but overall this was a positive display.
Bernardo Silva never stopped running
There is a good reason Erling Haaland told Bernardo Silva after the game that he played like Fabio Cannavaro.
The midfielder was all over the place and made some important recoveries, proving himself to be a real headache for the Arsenal attacking line.
Silva made 10 defensive contributions in total and truly made the most of his last ever match against the Gunners. Well, at least in a Man City shirt.
Rayan Cherki is more than a creator
All the talk about Rayan Cherki’s game has been in relation to assists and chance creation, but the Frenchman showed he can be the one to score goals too.
Arsenal had barely been given a chance to grow into the game when Cherki swooped in and used his skill to get a shot away, resulting in a wonderful goal.
Rayan Cherki doing his thing 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/VsOlkpjcnu
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 19, 2026
Also, Cherki played seven passes into the final third and completed three successful dribbles, as he drove his team up the pitch.
Losers
Gianluigi Donnarumma made a huge blunder
Man City may have got the win, but Donnarumma is very lucky that his mistake did not cost them a victory.
The Italian took a touch when he should have cleared the ball straight away. With Kai Havertz closing him down, he kicked it straight into the Arsenal attacker, which saw Cherki’s brilliant goal cancelled out within the space of two minutes.
"WOAHHHHH!!" 🤯
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 19, 2026
Kai Havertz pulls Arsenal level in chaotic fashion! pic.twitter.com/A4ZjjDF921
With James Trafford in good form, the timing of Donnarumma’s mistake could not have been worse. He is still a solid shot-stopper, but some City fans would prefer to see the England international given more game time.
Antoine Semenyo was kept quiet against Arsenal
Patrick Vieira described Semenyo as one of the best players in the Premier League since January, ahead of Man City’s clash against Arsenal.
However, the 26-year-old did not do a whole lot on Sunday. In fact, he failed to create a single chance or land a shot on target.
Other than the 4-0 win over Liverpool, Semenyo has gone a number of matches without registering a goal contribution, which is surprising. After all, he is third in the Premier League golden boot race.
Rodri has picked up an injury
Nico Gonzalez replaced Rodri shortly before the match ended and it has since been revealed that the Spaniard is experiencing a groin problem.
This is very much the business end of the season, and Rodri could end up missing some important matches if his issue is serious.
It would be a real blow to Man City, as pretty much every fixture from now until the end of the season is a must-win.
