Arsenal ensured they kept their slim title hopes alive and kicking with an impressive, hard-fought 2-0 win away at third-placed Newcastle.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta would have been well aware coming into the game that his side's title hopes could not afford any more slip-ups. Newcastle were nearly 1-0 up inside the opening 90 seconds, but Jacob Murphy's left-footed strike struck the frame of the goal.
Minutes later, the hosts thought they had been awarded a penalty when Jakub Kiwior handled Joelinton's strike, but replays showed that the ball actually struck the Poland international's knee first and Chris Kavanagh swiftly overturned his on-field decision after consulting the monitor.
And yet, it was Arsenal who drew first blood. Martin Odegaard managed to guide his driven strike into the bottom-right corner of Newcastle's goal beyond the despairing dive of Magpies goalkeeper Nick Pope.
The second-half started much like the first, with plenty of Newcastle pressure and the frame of the goal being rattled again, this time from Alexander Isak's close-range header. In keeping with the pattern of both halves, it was Arsenal who struck again - Fabian Schar putting Martinelli's cut-back into his own net.
On commentary for Sky Sports, Gary Neville claimed Manchester City's players would have a 'sinking feeling' watching Arsenal register a vital victory that puts them within a point of Pep Guardiola's men.
Mirror Football has analysed five key talking points from the game as Arteta's Arsenal avenge their Newcastle nightmare of last season.
1. Odegaard levels Premier League record
Arsenal's talismanic captain has been nothing short of sensational this term and delivered the game's first goal early on.
Newcastle made the mistake of not closing the Gunners skipper down from around 20 yards out and as a result were duly punished.
By finding the net, Odegaard levelled a Premier League record set by Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne. The pair are now joint-leaders in the most amount of non-penalty goals scored by a midfielder in a single season, with 15 each.
There are now three games for Odegaard to try and break the record and with the form the 24-year-old is in currently, you certainly wouldn't bet against him making history before the season's end.
It is also the first time ever that two Arsenal players have scored 15 goals or more in a Premier League season, with Gabriel Martinelli also achieving the feat this term.
2. The midfield battle
Eyebrows were raised when team news was made public and that Arteta had opted to drop Thomas Partey for Jorginho for the second successive game.
They remained raised soon after kick-off, with both Jorginho and his partner Granit Xhaka having possession pinched from them early on. Joelinton was getting plenty of joy in gaining the ball inside Arsenal's third as the visitors struggled to get out of their own half.
However, Odegaard soon took the first-half by the scruff of the neck and allowed his Arsenal team-mates to play through him, making life a tad more difficult for the hosts.
By the time the hour mark was hit, it was Jorginho who led the pay in terms of pass completition of all the midfielders. The Italian international was comfortably the best player on the pitch.
3. Isak and Wilson start together
For the first time in a Premier League game, Howe opted to start both Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson together.
Ahead of the game, the Newcastle boss explained how he was confident the sytem would work and that he simply felt this game was the "right time" to deploy the duo.
With 25 Premier League goals between this term, the Arsenal defence knew they were in for a busy afternoon. Isak showed flashes of his dazzling dribbling ability early on.
It must be said, the first-half passed the pair by without either of them making a notable impact. It was a similar story in the second half and Wilson was eventually hooked off in place of Anthony Gordon.
Howe is unlikely to be in a rush to start the pair from the off again any time soon.
4. Kiwior keeps his place
William Saliba's back injury has meant Rob Holding has deputised in the place of the Frenchman for the majority of the last month and a half.
But with his disastrous display at the Etihad still fresh in the memory, Arteta opted to stick with Jakub Kiwior for the second successive game after his stellar first start against Chelsea on Tuesday.
A penalty scare aside, Kiwior looked like a marked improvement on Holding and showcased a level of quality on the ball that the Gunners backline have been missing in Saliba's absence.
Never shy in playing it out from the back while under pressure, Kiwior looked every inch an Arteta-type defender.
5. A feisty affair
Much like the reverse fixture back in January, the tension between these two teams was palpable from near enough the first whistle.
Both Gabriel Jesus and Xhaka were embroiled in heated exchanges with Magpies right-back Kieran Trippier at varying points of the first-half, while Joelinton also made sure his imposing presence was felt.
In both halves, tempers threatened to boil over on the touchline, with Arteta and Eddie Howe's assistant coach Jason TIndall often spotted shouting something at one another either side of a fourth official trying and just about succeeding to keep the peace pitchside.
