Man City lost because 'monster' Haaland was missing, Arsenal accelerated to leave Liverpool behind

On the evening of October 26, Man City played disappointingly, losing 0-1 to Aston Villa in the match of round 9 of the 2025-2026 Premier League. In contrast to Man City, Arsenal got 3 points to fly high on the rankings.

Haaland "disappeared", Man City lost at Aston Villa

Despite having to play away at Aston Villa, Man City is still considered superior. In the last 9 matches, the blue half of Manchester has an unbeaten record, including 7 wins. The goal of winning 3 points is also clearly shown by Man City when coach Pep Guardiola launched almost the strongest squad. In which, the number 1 star Haaland is still the highest player on the attack line, receiving great attention.

However, in the first half, Man City disappointed many fans with their poor performance. In a live report, The Guardian (UK) even used the word "disaster" to describe Man City's playing style. Like recent matches, Man City still started slowly, unable to control the ball in midfield. During the first half, coach Pep Guardiola's team only had 2 shots and none of them were on target. Since the beginning of the tournament, this is Man City's worst statistic.

In addition to the poor performance of the attack, Man City's defense also lacked concentration many times, allowing Aston Villa players to score. After many lucky escapes, in the 19th minute, Man City's net finally shook. The person who helped Aston Villa take a 1-0 lead was defender Matty Cash with a decisive left-footed shot.

Man City (left) struggled to break through Aston Villa's net

PHOTO: REUTERS

After the break, the script remained unchanged as Man City were stuck in front of Aston Villa's dense defense. The away team had about 55% possession but struggled to find a way into the opponent's goal. Meanwhile, Haaland, despite being expected, was completely "missing" on the field. Despite having 5 shots in the second half, Man City could not penetrate Aston Villa's net once, losing the match 0-1.

After a shocking defeat at Aston Villa, Man City missed the chance to move up to second place in the table. Currently, coach Pep Guardiola's team has 16 points, ranked 4th.

Eberechi Eze scored against his former team, helping Arsenal get 3 points

At Emirates Stadium, Arsenal faced a tough opponent, Crystal Palace. Like Man City, Arsenal had many difficulties and could hardly approach the opponent's penalty area in the first 30 minutes of the match. Even if Crystal Palace's strikers like Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaïla Sarr had been more careful in their quick counter-attacks, Arsenal's net would have shaken early on.

Fortunately for Arsenal, in the midst of the stalemate, the expected player Eberechi Eze shone at the right time. From a chaotic situation in the 39th minute, Eberechi Eze charged in bravely, finishing the ball into the net of his former team. This was also the only goal of the first half, helping Arsenal enter the break with a 1-0 advantage.

Eberechi Eze scored against his former team, helping Arsenal take the lead after the first half

PHOTO: REUTERS

In the second half, Arsenal completely controlled the game, having more scoring opportunities than in the first half. According to Sofascore , the Gunners shot 7 more times in this half, causing the Crystal Palace goal to shake. However, players like Leandro Trossard and Viktor Gyökeres were unlucky and Arsenal could not score more goals.

Defeating Crystal Palace 1-0, Arsenal extended their winning streak to 7 matches. The London team currently has 22 points, firmly holding the top position in the Premier League. Notably, Arsenal is now 7 points ahead of Liverpool - the team that experts consider to be their direct competitor for the championship title this season.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/man-city-bai-tran-vi-quai-vat-haaland-mat-tich-arsenal-but-toc-bo-xa-liverpool-185251026230537802.htm