Newcastle or bust before Dubai awaits  for Arsenal after routing City 

Hale End's Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri graduate with distinction in five star display against City 

A four goal second half salvo secured a tremendous rout of the reigning Champions.

Here are three things that stood out for me, writes Ian Mills 

1 - Stay humble comes back to bite the Champions –

After Erling Haaland’s ‘stay humble’ comment to Mikel Arteta at the end of the dramatic 2-2 draw at The Etihad in September, our King of Brazil remarked that ‘we would be waiting for them at our home’.

From the first minute it is fair to say that the whole team were waiting. Declan Rice was outstanding in midfield, his challenge helped to create the first goal inside two minutes.

It was his brilliant tackle on Kovacic that presented Kai Havertz with what should have been our second goal and he also registered two assists, the second with a sumptuous cross field ball to Ethan Nwaneri, which the latter dispatched with trademark aplomb.

Rice was ably supported by Thomas Partey who again displayed how much he can contribute when not played out of position at right back, while Martin Odegaard prompted and probed throughout.

David Raya was called upon to make three great saves as City pressed for an equaliser before half time, William Saliba and Gabriel were dominant at the back with the latter enjoying the opportunity to revel in the scoreline in front of Haaland.

Jurrien Timber was solid on the right side whilst Myles Lewis-Skelly was fantastic at left back as he produced another display belying his years culminating in a great first goal.

As for his celebration, well it is fair to say Haaland knows exactly who he is now!

Gabi Martinelli and Leandro Trossard worked hard on the flanks whilst Havertz recovered from a glaring first half miss to add a well taken strike for our fourth goal.

2 - Hale End graduate with distinction –

Both Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri will save the club a huge amount in the transfer market and will surely be rewarded with improved contracts in the coming months and they deserve it.

More importantly still, they have been at the club for years and are childhood Gooners living out their dreams.

Lewis-Skelly looks like he could be our left back for the next 10 years and that is despite some stiff competition within our squad, while in Nwaneri we appear to have found our ‘go to’ option on the right side of midfield to ease the burden and workload on Bukayo Saka.

What is even more exciting is that both will only get better.

For all the frustrations of our inactivity in the January transfer window, the progress of these youngsters prove that if you are good enough, Mikel Arteta will give you your chance and that must be such an incentive to so many coming through the ranks at Hale End.

Newcastle or bust before Dubai awaits –

With the January window now shut  any new signings what we currently have will have to see us through to the end of this current campaign.

Therefore, the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg hones into view this Wednesday with Newcastle firmly in the ascendancy after their 2-0 win the first leg.

Our form going into the return is better than theirs albeit our recent record at St James is awful with three defeats in our last four visits.

If we can get the first goal it is game on and there would be no better way to sign off for our mid-winter break, then a place at Wembley in a Cup Final.