The Etihad Stadium witnessed a heated exchange between England teammates Ben White and Phil Foden after Manchester City’s 4-1 victory over Arsenal. The win helped City close the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to just two points. However, tempers flared when the final whistle blew, and a post-match melee ensued. Footage from the Etihad crowd and cameras inside the stadium showed that White approached Foden and grabbed the back of his collar in a heated exchange. Foden then gave White a big shove and walked away as Bernardo Silva, Emile Smith Rowe, and Erling Haaland intervened. A sea of teammates, substitutes, and officials then intercepted the row, with Foden keen to stay out of trouble.
The result was a big blow for the Gunners, who have topped the table for the majority of the season. City now looks like firm favorites to maintain their crown. Two goals from Kevin De Bruyne plus further efforts from Haaland and John Stones made it a relatively easy win for Pep Guardiola’s side, who have two extra games to close a two-point gap.
Guardiola said afterwards, “[I prefer] my position because now it’s in our hands. Until today, I prefer the position in the Premier League of Arsenal because if Arsenal had beaten us, it’s in their hands. But now it is in our hands.” City faces Fulham on Sunday followed by West Ham on Wednesday.