Arsenal Fans Slam One Player After 2:1 Defeat to Man City
- Premier League leaders Arsenal suffered a 2-1 loss to Manchester City, allowing the title race gap to close to three points
- Kai Havertz scored but faced heavy criticism from fans after missing a key chance that could have transformed the outcome
- A UK-based Ghanaian pundit believes Havertz played a crucial role in keeping Arsenal in the game until the final whistle
- Erling Haaland netted the decisive goal as Pep Guardiola's side extended their winning run and boosted their title hopes
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Arsenal fans have turned on Kai Havertz following their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, with some supporters blaming him for damaging their Premier League title hopes.
Mikel Arteta’s side suffered a second consecutive league loss on Sunday, April 19, 2026, allowing City to close the gap to just three points at the top of the table.
Source: Getty Images
According to Yahoo Sports, Rayan Cherki opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a composed finish into the far corner, before a costly error from Gianluigi Donnarumma gifted Havertz the chance to equalise shortly after.
Both teams struck the woodwork early in the second half, but City regained control midway through the period.
Erling Haaland fired past David Raya in the 65th minute to restore the hosts’ lead, a goal that ultimately proved decisive.
Despite getting on the scoresheet, Havertz faced heavy criticism from sections of the Arsenal fanbase for his overall performance.
The German international missed a key opportunity around the hour mark when he was denied by Donnarumma in a one-on-one situation, just minutes before Haaland struck the winner.
Arsenal fans blame Havertz for City defeat
Supporters took to the social media platform X to vent their frustration.
One fan wrote:
“Havertz just cost us the title.”
Another fan added:
“It’s over. Havertz cost us another league title.”
@Tripple____M posted:
"Kai Havertz scored when we didn't expect him to and missed when we expected him to score."
@JamesB_afc said:
"Kai Havertz. Horrible horrible finisher. It’s cost us in another huge game. The goal he got sums up his strengths. The rest of the game, his weaknesses."
Another supporter wrote:
“We need a goal, get a striker on—Havertz is abysmal.”
Havertz had good game vs City - pundit
Meanwhile, UK-based Ghanaian pundit Kofi Esikyire believes Havertz played a crucial role in keeping Arsenal competitive until the final moments of the game, despite missing a late chance.
“Havertz was one of the main reasons Arsenal stayed in the game right until the end,” Esikyire told YEN.com.gh. “He had a really good performance overall, even though he didn’t score that late free header.”
He added:
“People will focus on the miss, but his overall contribution was strong. He was involved, he was active, and he caused problems.”
Esikyire also pointed to Havertz’s absence earlier in the campaign due to injury.
“Arsenal have actually missed him for large parts of the season,” he said. “You could see his importance again in this game.”
Before this match, Arsenal had managed just one win in their previous five games across all competitions, including a 2-0 defeat to City in the Carabao Cup final.
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s side extended their winning run to four matches, with recent victories including a 4-0 FA Cup win over Liverpool and a 3-0 league triumph against Chelsea.
Source: Getty Images
Earlier in the week, Roy Keane and Ian Wright predicted how the remaining fixtures could unfold for both teams, though their expectation of a 1-1 draw in this match proved incorrect.
Arsenal now turn their attention to the Champions League, where they face Atlético Madrid in the semi-final first leg on Wednesday, before returning to domestic action with a home game against Newcastle United.
City, meanwhile, will look to continue their momentum when they travel to face relegation-threatened Burnley.
Why Gabriel avoided red vs Man City
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the Premier League had given its reasoning after a controversial incident involving Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães.
He avoided a straight red card for an apparent headbutt on Man City's Erling Haaland, with the flashpoint coming in the closing stages of the match on April 19.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
