Man City fans brutally troll Arsenal after sailing to huge lead at Chelsea as Premier League title race ramps up

MANCHESTER CITY fans brutally trolled Arsenal as they breathed new life into the title race against Chelsea.

The Gunners handed City the initiative on Saturday as they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth at the Emirates.

That gave Pep Guardiola‘s troops the chance to reduce the gap at the top with a win at Stamford Bridge this evening.

And they grabbed the opportunity with both hands, romping to a 3-0 win in west London thanks to second-half goals from Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku.

The travelling Etihad faithful broke into chants of “Are you watching Arsenal?” shortly after Doku scored.

And one fan was spotted on camera mocking the north Londoners by pretending to drink out of an empty Arsenal water bottle.

The City fan looked directly at the camera as he pretended to pour the bottle into his throat, to the delight of the supporters around him.

The act was a clear reference to many footie fans’ belief that Mikel Arteta‘s troops are bottling the title race.

Footage of the fan’s antics went viral on social media, with one viewer saying: “One word. BOTTLERS.”

Another said: “Arsenal fans are fuming.”

And another said: “What a legend this bloke is.

“From myself., a Chelsea fan, thanks for saving football lol.”

One remarked: “Inject it.”

Another chimed in: “Arsenal bottle job live on SKY SPORTS.”

Several minutes after his bottle antics, a fellow supporter showed the fan that his jibe at the Gunners had gone viral.

Victory over Chelsea saw City reduce the gap between themselves and Arsenal to six points.

But Guardiola’s charges, crucially, have a game in hand on the north Londoners.

And even more importantly, they’ll welcome the misfiring Gunners to the Etihad next Sunday afternoon in the biggest game of the season.

Manchester City are closing in on Arsenal in a gripping Premier League title race — and their fans know it.

During the rampant 3-0 victory over Chelsea on Sunday, cameras panned to a City supporter pretending to drink from an Arsenal bottle after a goal — a not-so-subtle jab at the idea that Mikel Arteta’s side are ‘bottling’ their first shot at a league title in 22 years.

The moment summed up a dramatic weekend. Arsenal blew the chance to go 12 points clear by losing at home to Bournemouth on Saturday, before City cut the gap to just six points the following day.

City host Arsenal next Sunday with a huge chance to reduce the lead again, and still have a game in their hand in their pocket against Burnley.

The two sides are in contrasting form heading into a crunch period of the season. City beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final before dismantling Liverpool and Chelsea, while the Gunners have lost three in a row domestically.

“This is about City sending a message,” Sky Sports’ Gary Neville said during commentary on Sunday. “This is a statement victory.”

He added: “We have an enormous game next Sunday, one that will define the Premier League season. Man City smell blood.

“They’re heading into a free week to prepare for a monstrous clash that Pep Guardiola will relish on Sunday.”

While City have a week to prepare for Arsenal, the Gunners face a Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Sporting CP.

Pep Guardiola has called on Manchester City fans to “respect Arsenal” ahead of their Premier League title six-pointer at the Etihad Stadium next weekend.

The recommendation comes after a supporter’s celebration, which utilised an Arsenal-branded bottle, went viral following City’s third goal in their rampant win at Chelsea, which closed the gap at the top to six points.

The fan was seen sucking on the plastic lid as broadcast cameras panned to the away end, sending a not so subtle message to the league leaders who have finished second in the table for three consecutive years.

While not referencing the incident directly, Guardiola hailed Arsenal’s quality and said that fans must respect such an “extraordinary team” who they defied doubters to beat in last month’s Carabao Cup final.

He told Sky Sports: “The question of this week will be that we are playing next week against a team who in 49 games, lost three. In the Champions League games, they didn’t lose once. I know how difficult it is. They’ve won all the games except one, which they drew.

“Playing the Carabao Cup with Man City completely as underdogs – there was not one person in the country who bet £1 on us – that’s much better.

“Now it will be a bit different. Etihad at home, City is on top form, but the respect I have for Arsenal – what they’ve done in the last two or three years, because I know a little but the manager but the players and the quality.

“How they compete in every circumstances, that will be the biggest job that we have to work in our heads. This tactical issue, but maybe they will adjust something, maybe we adjust something.

“But they have been the best team in this country and Europe so far today.”

Guardiola continued: “Beating Arsenal once is so difficult, imagine beating them twice in a few weeks. So we have to rest, prepare and read exactly what we have to do.

“But I would like to say to my fans: respect Arsenal a lot. They’re an extraordinary team. They are. It’s not naive, it’s not to make them feel something that they are not.

“But at the same time: come join us and support us minute one. The players will do the maximum.”