When Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku scored his team’s third goal in a comprehensive win over Chelsea on Sunday, he raised his fingers towards the sky to thank the heavens for a crucial win in English football’s Premier League. But the winger’s actions paled in comparison to an emotive City fan’s unique celebration, which swiftly turned into a viral social media meme.
As Doku was joined by jubilant teammates near Chelsea’s goal, television cameras panned to the travelling fans at Stamford Bridge, where a now-famous animated City supporter punched the air, pulled out an empty plastic bottle adorned with an Arsenal logo, and mimicked a celebratory sip.
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It left City’s supporters in peals of laughter and made viewers wonder if Arsenal have “bottled it” once more in a clear dig at Arsenal’s dramatic stumble over the past few weeks.
Since March 22, the Gunners have lost the English League Cup final to City, been knocked out of the Football Association (FA) Challenge Cup by Southampton, barely scraped through in the UEFA Champions League against Sporting Lisbon, and lost at home to 11th-placed Bournemouth in the Premier League.
As the away fans rejoiced, TV commentator Conor McNamara wondered if the bottle-toting supporter was “drinking Arsenal tears” and said: “Manchester City [are] hoping that Arsenal might be bottling this title race.”
The clip went viral on social media within minutes, and the fan in question was later seen watching replays in disbelief.
Manager Pep Guardiola’s Man City have now moved within six points of leaders Arsenal – who have lost three consecutive games in local competitions – reigniting the title race.
“History tells us that when the spring sun comes out, Arsenal sometimes wilt, but Manchester City so often bloom and blossom down that closing stretch,” McNamara said, adding salt to Arsenal fans’ wounds by exposing their familiar late-season fragility and City’s relentless run-in surge.
The two contrasting results in London over the space of just over 24 hours brought great joy to British music icon Liam Gallagher.
The frontman of the rock band Oasis and lifelong City supporter chose to poke fun at Arsenal with a clip of the London club being chased, like a shadow, by their Manchester rivals.
‘Punch in the face’ as quadruple hopes take a hit
In what may feel like another lifetime to Arsenal fans, the Gunners beat Everton 2-0 at home on March 14 and were still challenging for trophies on four fronts.
The club and its supporters soaked in the excitement of a “quadruple season”. However, things went south very quickly as Arsenal suffered a 2-0 League Cup final defeat by City and a shock quarterfinal exit in the FA Cup to second-tier Southampton.
A last-gasp 1-0 win away to Sporting in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg appeared to steady the ship, but Saturday’s display against Bournemouth could turn believers into doubters.
The costly home defeat to Bournemouth has left Arsenal fans questioning whether the team can finally end their 22-year wait for an English title, or if they are destined to settle for a fourth successive runners-up finish.
“We were very far from the standards that we’ve shown all season, so it’s a big punch in the face because we wanted to win this game so badly,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said after their latest loss.
“We didn’t cope with the situations when they didn’t go our way.”
The Spanish manager, who previously served as an assistant to Guardiola at City, said that his players are hurting, but they need to “take it on the chin” and “embrace the challenge” that lies ahead.
At one stage this season, stats provider Opta gave Arsenal as high as a 98 percent chance of winning the 2025-26 title, but recent results have brought it down to 86.98 percent.
Those figures could take a drastic turn come Sunday, as the top two face off at the Etihad Stadium in a potential title decider.
Their fate is now as much in Manchester City’s hands as it is in their own.
A domestic treble for Man City?
When City host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, they have a spring in their step, knowing a victory could swing the momentum from the south of England to its north as a gripping title race approaches its finish line.
After suffering only three defeats in their opening 49 matches of the season in all competitions, Arsenal have lost three of their past four, ramping up the pressure on the visitors.
However, Guardiola – who has guided City to six of their 10 league titles – remains alert to the threat posed by Arsenal despite their recent blip.
“The respect I have for Arsenal, what they have done the last few years,” he said after City’s win over Chelsea.
“I know the manager, the players, the quality, how they compete in every circumstance, that’s the biggest job we have. There is a tactical issue; maybe we will adjust something,” Guardiola said.
“They have been the best team in this country, in Europe, so far. Beating Arsenal once is so difficult; imagine beating them twice in a few weeks.
“I would like to say to my fans: respect Arsenal a lot, they are an extraordinary team. Come to join us from minute one because the players will do the maximum.”
Guardiola’s call for cool heads hasn’t done much to drown out talks of a “domestic treble” for the Sky Blues.
With one trophy – the League Cup – in the bag, City are favourites to lift the FA Cup and could still bag their 11th league trophy.
As Arteta’s Arsenal look to end their Premier League trophy drought, experts believe the players and manager face a test of their mental and emotional strength in the decisive stretch of the campaign.
Former player and TV pundit Gary Neville believes the Gunners must “balance emotion” as they look to cross the line.
“We know the build-up to the game next week, what the narrative is going to be against Arsenal – that Man City are going to catch you, and there seems to be a sense of joy watching Arsenal collapse,” the former Man United captain said on Neville’s podcast.
“They’ve got to try and swim against the tide and hold their nerve.”