Mikel Arteta warned Arsenal to concentrate in itself after they have dismantled Muthless Manchester City 5-1 and rubbed it in the face of Erling Haaland in the process.
The Gunners scored four times in an excellent second half display in the Emirates to impose more pain on the fragile Premier League champions of Pep Guardiola.
Haaland's actions in the 2-2 draw between the clubs in September dominated the pre-match discourse, where the Norwegian threw a ball at the head of Gabriel Magalhaes after the stop-time level of John Stones, while he also told Arteta for ' to stay humble 'during fiery full -time scenes.
A dose of modest cake was served in Haaland in Noord-London with Gabriel who shouted at the city attack after the early opener of Martin Odegaard before the full-back of Arsenal Myles Lewis-Skelly copied the celebration of the Norwegian after he had it 3-1 made.
City folded after the 55th minute equalizer of Haaland with Thomas Partey, Lewis-Skelly, Kai Havertz and Ethan Nwaneri on goal to relocate the Gunners six points behind leaders Liverpool, but Arteta slid a tint of disappointment.
“I don't know, I didn't see that and there is nothing I want to discuss about that,” said Arteta when he talked about Lewis-Skelly's celebration.
'Until the players, but they know my opinion about it and we have to concentrate on ourselves.
'We have to concentrate on ourselves and leave everything behind that happens. It is part of the game on the field. Whatever happens there, I think we've been to football for a long time, just leave it behind, there is nothing to do. '
That was the only complaint that Arteta could really have with his players after a memorable day, which started in a perfect way when Odegaard slept home to punish Manuel Akanji's fault at the back.
Arsenal wasted further opportunities in the first half, where Havertz widely shot with only Stefan Ortega to defeat, and was punished 10 minutes after the break when Haaland silent the home crowd.
But a minute and 45 seconds later, the Gunners were ahead again due to the bent strike of Parey in a time when the faltering side of Guardiola struck that could not recover.
Arteta said: 'I think that was a turning point emotionally. We reacted so quickly, were lucky in that promotion and that set the tone for the team in the stadium to win the game.
'Then I think the team took a different level, trust grew, they started to control the game much better and dominate certain areas much better and we won it from there.
“It is a great day for us, for the result, for the way we did it and especially against the level of their position we played.”
Guardiola needed a moment of reflection when he was asked about the Arsenal players who simulate Haaland.
“Oh, I've not seen it. That's good, that's good. So he did Haaland's celebration? Did they do it? Ah, that's good. That's good, “Guardiola smiled.
John Stones described the last 30 minutes of City as 'unacceptable' and Guardiola seemed to suggest that his players did not stick to the plan.
He also recognized the vulnerability in the group after they collapsed in a similar way 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 did for 60 to 65, we didn't do it and we have no defense,” Guardiola said.
'We had a plan and we did not do it because they are proud and they want to solve it, but that is not the way.
'Always at that level and you have to stay with what we are talking. Unfortunately it happened and hopefully we can learn the lesson for the future.
'If you tell me that we are 1-1 tide 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 vulnerable, it often happens that they can be vulnerable, but they have the duty to do what they have to do and they didn't do it.”
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