Ramsdale: Arsenal haven’t come this far to give up with five games left

The Premier League leaders crashed to a 4-1 loss at the Etihad Stadium to lose control of a title race they have dominated for most of the season.

City’s emphatic victory took the defending champions within two points of the Gunners at the top and, with two games in hand, Pep Guardiola’s treble-chasing side now look firm favourites to retain their crown.

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April has been a frustrating month for Arsenal, with three successive draws against Liverpool, West Ham United and Southampton preceding the trip to Manchester, but Ramsdale is not ready to throw in the towel.

“We’re going to be disappointed now but we haven’t played nine months of Premier League football, and played the way we wanted to play, to give up with five games to go,” said the England international.

“If anything is going to happen in football, it is this league it is going to happen in. It might not do – but stranger things have happened in the Premier League.

“You see how tight it is at the bottom, you see how tight it is at the top, so we are going to be pushing every game – with five games left we need to win five games – and we will see how that ends at the end of the season.

“We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We’ll get over it and the manager will do what the manager does and dissect it and tell us and we will do everything we can.”

The game failed to live up to its billing as a heavyweight contest as City completely overran their visitors.

Kevin De Bruyne struck twice either side of a John Stones header as City effectively wrapped up victory inside 54 minutes.

It might have been even worse but for the fact Erling Haaland spurned a host of chances – most of them saved by a defiant Ramsdale – but the prolific Norwegian wrapped up the scoring late on after Rob Holding grabbed a consolation.

“Disappointment is the key word,” said Ramsdale.

“When you give arguably one of the best teams in the world at the minute a bit of a leg-up in the game and are 2-0 down at half-time, it is a tough task to overcome.

“We know we are better than that but also this is where we want to be and the team we want to be like and be competing with.”

For Ramsdale there was some personal satisfaction in thwarting Haaland for most of the game, making four fine saves from the striker, but he was frustrated to concede to him in injury time.

“I’m devastated I got to 94 minutes and 50 seconds – it was probably the goal I am most annoyed about, which I should save,” added the 24-year-old.
“But it was a good battle and hopefully I can have these battles with other players as well.”