Arsenal vs Man City LIVE: Premier League latest score and updates as Erling Haaland scores at the death

Pep Guardiola is not always appreciative when suggestions are made that his tactical alterations do not, on occasion, help his team out.

Those doubts inevitably surface after Manchester City fail to win a particularly notable match; it’s natural that the City boss gets irked, therefore, when he has probably won half a dozen or more lesser-fixtures to be in that position in the first place. Even so, suspicion will always linger when his flexes and plans fail to yield positive results after more orthodox, more consistent, lineups seem to point the route to regular victories.

And so it was both a surprise and yet no surprise whatsoever when the lineups at the Emirates Stadium were announced: Bernardo Silva ultimately the one who was the very, very odd man out, slotting in at left-back in a roving role intended to mimic that of Oleksandr Zinchenko in the Arsenal side - or perhaps of Joao Cancelo.

Reigning champions Manchester City moved ahead of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League as Erling Haaland wrapped up a fine win at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners have led the way since the third week of the season but were knocked off the summit as City secured a 3-1 victory in an enthralling encounter.

Kevin De Bruyne had put City in front before Bukayo Saka levelled for Arsenal from the penalty spot – but the visitors would strike twice after the break as Jack Grealish and Haaland, an injury doubt ahead of the game, secured a vital three points.

If there is now considerable doubt about Manchester City’s recent past and future, there can be no debate about their present quality. They showed they are the best team in England, and maybe Europe, by returning to the top of the Premier League.

A cavalier but callow Arsenal were shown what is really required to win one of these games and perhaps the title itself. City’s 3-1 win was a vintage champions’ victory in that sense, something that Pep Guardiola will make all the more of a virtue of given the controversy swirling around the club with those unprecedented Premier League charges.

The team that could yet face the severest possible penalties look like they could well be lifting the trophy again, as they certainly looked like champions here.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has won eight of his nine matches against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in all competitions (L1), including all four meetings at the Emirates Stadium.

Kevin De Bruyne has assisted Erling Haaland six times in the Premier League this season, more than any player has assisted another.

Erling Haaland has scored 26 goals in the Premier League this season, the joint-most by a Manchester City player in a single campaign in the competition, alongside Sergio Agüero in 2014/15.

Jack Grealish had one goal and no assists in eight appearances in the Premier League this season heading into the World Cup break, while he has two goals and three assists from nine matches since the competition returned.

Second half goals from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland were enough to send Manchester City to the top of the Premier League as they defeated Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

City are now right in the mix to regain their title.

90+5 mins: There goes the full-time whistle. Manchester City have come to London and dusted the Premier League leaders. City are taking all three points back to Manchester.

They now move ahead of the Gunners and take the top spot in the table although Mikel Arteta’s men have a game in hand on them. The title race is now open, City and Arsenal will fight to the bitter end but Manchester United will also sense an opportunity to do something special.

Goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland were enough to get the job done despite Bukayo Saka’s penalty kick.

90+3 mins: A half cross/shot from Leandro Trossard on the left side of the box lands on the roof of the goal and gives Man City a goal kick.

Time is running out for Arsenal. They’re staring down the barrel of a defeat to their closest rivals.