Having never won two gold medals on a single day of any previous Winter Games, Britain finished top of the podium in mixed team snowboarding - their first-ever gold on snow - and again in mixed team skeleton. Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale were the first pair to medal, delivering a stunning performance to take top spot at the Livigno Snow Park. As it happened: Team GB's record-breaking day The pair, world champions in 2023, beat Italy to the gold medal by 0.43seconds in the final. It was then the turn of Matt Weston and Tabby Stoecker on Sunday evening to win the next gold in mixed team skeleton. Having been the dominant winner of the men's title on Friday evening, Weston became the first British athlete to win two medals at the same Winter Olympics when he and Tabby Stoecker beat Germany by 0.17seconds. Fellow Britons Marcus Wyatt and Freya Tarbit were just edged into fourth place by the other German team of Jacqueline Pfeifer and Christopher Grotheer. Debut gold on snow After winning both their quarter-final and semi-final, all eyes were on Bankes and Nightingale in their bid to make history on the slopes. The impressive Bankes moved up to first place midway through the decisive women's race after Nightingale had finished a close second to France's Loan Bozzolo in the men's race. The gold medal marked a remarkable revival from the duo, who had both exited the heats in disappointing fashion in their respective individual events earlier in the Games. Their medal is Britain's best ever on snow, building on the bronzes previously won by Jenny Jones, Billy Morgan and Izzy Atkin. Bankes said: "I'm happy with my riding all day. I found it again, which I've been struggling with for the last week here. "At last I found some speed and made it count. I really used my carving, the drafting, made the right choices, and that's where it pays off." Late skeleton drama Hopes were high for another medal in the skeleton after Weston's individual gold on Friday. Stoecker had given her partner a tough task with her run of 1:00.77 - 0.30seconds off the pace of the Germans - but Weston put in a sublime 58.59seconds run to clinch the gold. The pair, ranked top seeds ahead of the event, won with a final time of 1:59.36, setting a new course record in the process. "Luckily, I felt like I knew what I needed to do," Weston said. "I took a load of confidence from the individual event and I almost had to be boring to get the job done and do it again." "I can't believe it," Stoecker added. "It's a team effort and when Matt came down and we were in the green, I was just in shock."

How To Get To Heaven From Belfast blends her trademark humour with mystery as a group of women reunite following the death of their childhood friend. "I've always loved murder mysteries from when I was a little girl," McGee told Sky News. "I was obsessed with Jessica Fletcher and Murder, She Wrote, so it was really like whenever someone gave me the chance to do it, I was going to grab it. "But I knew I needed to do it my way. I wanted it to be very female-led, have a big comedy element to it, a bit messy." The Irish writer's journey into storytelling began long before the worldwide success of Derry Girls - a comedy set in Northern Ireland in the 1990s about what it's like to be a teenage girl living amongst conflict. McGee detailed how, growing up, she'd create plays for the neighbourhood where she lived to act out. She said: "[I was] doing plays in my street and forcing everyone to be in them, even if they didn't want to, you know, because everyone's mum was just like, go and be in Lisa's play and give me peace for an hour. "So, I was kind of the unofficial babysitter for the whole street. All the mums loved me, but the kids probably didn't because I was making them learn lines and stuff like that." McGee said, even at a young age, the stories she'd create had a darker element, possibly influenced by her upbringing in Derry before the Good Friday Agreement. "I remember saying to the executive producer of Derry Girls, Liz Lewin, who works on How to Get to Heaven as well, when I was in London: do you know the way, the army would check your car? And she was like, 'No, no! What are you talking about?'" "So, like these little things, I started to realise, oh, there could be something interesting in telling these stories." She added: "Outside of Ireland, people couldn't believe it, but that was what was going on. But it was so every day to us. It just became so part of your routine, and it was only like years later when I moved to London that I actually... realised that's probably not normal." She said it was that familiarity that sparked her interest in telling "truthful" depictions of what it was and is like living in Derry and Belfast. "I wanted to see myself and my friends on screen, which sounds incredibly simple, but I feel like it doesn't happen that often and I sometimes feel particularly Irish stories and stories about Irish women, they can be quite tragic and serious, you know?," she said. "I really want to keep making stories about where I come from and I feel just so lucky that I can do this now and I'll keep trying to do it until they tell me to stop. "I think Ireland's such a complicated, but incredible place, you know? So much history that hasn't fully been explored, the people are very funny, so I'm really excited about that, about the new stories we're going to tell now." How To Get To Heaven From Belfast centres on three thirty-something women who reunite following the death of their childhood friend. Starring Roisin Gallagher, Sinead Keenan and Caoilfhionn Dunne, it sees several familiar faces from Derry Girls take on new characters in the murder mystery comedy. McGee has said a second season isn't a certainty, but she has her fingers crossed. "I haven't asked, I have been talking about it and I don't know if I'm allowed to but I'd love to do it again because I love writing for those three women, I love those actors, they're just so talented and so funny. "I would do it again in a heartbeat, it just depends on who watches it I guess and how many people watch it." How To Get To Heaven From Belfast is out on Netflix now.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski accused Sir Keir Starmer of deploying "cheap political smears", while Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's head of policy, described him as a "laughable joke of a prime minister". In his keynote speech at the conference, Sir Keir said: "In the 1930s, leaders were too slow to level with the public about the fundamental shift in mindset that was required. So we must work harder today to build consent for the decisions we must take to keep us safe. "Because if we don't, the peddlers of easy answers are ready on the extremes of left and right, and they will offer their solutions instead." He went on: "It's striking that the different ends of the spectrum share so much. Soft on Russia. Weak on NATO. If not outright opposed. And determined to sacrifice the relationship we need on the altar of their ideology. "The future they offer is one of division and then capitulation. The lamps would go out across Europe once again. But we will not let that happen." 'PM should focus on the issues' In response, Mr Polanski told Sky's Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips show: "I think people are pretty bored of Keir Starmer making cheap political smears at other parties. "People's wages are stuck in 2008. We know rents are going up, bills are going up. There's real problems both in this country and internationally, and the Green Party are offering solutions to that. "And what I think Keir Starmer should be doing is actually focusing on the issues people face every single day, rather than making cheap attacks in terms of the lights going out." Specifically on the national security point, the Green Party leader said he takes it "really seriously", and accused the government of risking national security by bringing Peter Mandelson back as US ambassador, as well as not putting enough money into cybersecurity, pandemic resilience, and addressing the climate crisis. Mr Polanski also said that if he were prime minister, he would commit to all the NATO articles, including article five, which says: "An armed attack against one or more of [the allies] in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all." 'We need a leader who will put British interests first' The prime minister also took questions at the Munich Security Conference, and in response to one about his own political position, he attacked Reform UK, describing the party as "pro-Putin", and said if they were in government, "the coalition of the willing could not exist with UK participation in it". Mr Yusuf hit back at Sir Keir, saying: "It'd be quite the opposite". He told Sky's Trevor Phillips: "This is a laughable joke of a prime minister who, now, because he is so unpopular, frankly, it's actually a very dangerous thing to do, Trevor, because this is a dangerous time in the world. And we need a leader who is actually going to put the interests of British people first." Pushed on if his party is pro-Putin, Mr Yusuf said: "That's obviously not true. Nigel [Farage] is the only political leader in this country who has confirmed on air that he would indeed shoot down Russian aircraft if they encroach into NATO airspace. Not a single other political leader said that, nor has Keir Starmer." Starmer insists he is in a strong political position Sir Keir Starmer also insisted that he has weathered the political storm at home, and his government is pressing on. "I ended the week much stronger than I started it, and that's a very good place to be," he told the Munich Security Conference. However, his foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, did concede that errors have been made, but said the government is rectifying them. Asked about the appointment of Matthew Doyle to the House of Lords, despite the prime minister knowing that he had campaigned for a convicted sex offender, and if the government is certain there are no other issues set to emerge, she told Sky's Trevor Phillips: "I think there's clearly been some significant process failures in this appointment. There is still a review under way on that." She insisted the government takes this "extremely seriously", and pointed to Labour's commitment to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. "We have to always be focusing on the voices of victims and survivors, and that should be at the heart of what we do," she added. Trevor noted that was not a commitment that more government failures, like in the cases of Doyle and Peter Mandelson, are yet to emerge. Cooper replied: "Well, what I can say is that we have strengthened the processes." She added: "There can always be real concerns about people, unknown cases, where people have committed crimes in different areas. There always has to be a robust response, but you also have to make sure that you've got proper processes in advance as well." Lord Doyle has previously said his contact with Sean Morton was "extremely limited" after his conviction, and apologised for the mistakes he has made. Lord Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing, and has previously apologised for maintaining his relationship with Epstein, which he admitted went on for too long.

Tudor is expected to be in place to take Spurs training at the start of the week with his first game in charge the north London derby against Arsenal next Sunday, live on Sky Sports. The Croatian's priority will be keeping Spurs in the Premier League after Thomas Frank was sacked with the club 16th in the table and just five points above the relegation zone. There is a verbal agreement for Tudor to take over until the end of the season and only the final contractual details need to be sorted. He will fly back to his homeland from London before starting work. Transfer Centre LIVE!Tottenham news & transfers⚪ | Spurs fixtures & scoresGot Sky? Watch Tottenham games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 Spurs will look to name a permanent successor to Frank in the summer after the Dane was sacked on Wednesday following Tuesday's home defeat to Newcastle. Tudor, who usually deploys a three-at-the-back formation, will take over a Spurs side who have won just two of their last 17 league games. The 47-year-old has been out of work since October after being sacked by Juve, having also previously managed Lazio, Marseille, Galatasaray and Udinese. He comes with a reputation for stabilising struggling sides in the short term. Why Spurs have chosen Tudor... Spurs are looking to appoint an experienced head coach who has a track record of going into clubs and making an immediate impact, and Tudor fits that bill. He was appointed at Juventus and Lazio in March of each of the last two seasons and stabilised results in the short term. At Juventus, he inherited a team from Thiago Motta that sat fifth in Serie A, outside the Champions League places, after back-to-back defeats that capped a disastrous February in which the club were knocked out of the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. Tudor guided Juve to fourth in Serie A and sealed Champions League qualification after losing just one of his 11 games in charge. This earned the Croatian a two-year contract, although Juventus sacked him just four months later after results deteriorated. At Lazio, Tudor took over from Marizio Sarri in March 2024 on an 18-month contract. The former Chelsea boss had resigned after a fifth defeat in six games with Lazio in ninth.Tudor won five of his nine games as Lazio boss, losing just once, to secure a seventh-placed finish and Europa League qualification. He resigned at the end of the season after three months in charge. Tottenham's next six games February 22: Arsenal (h), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports March 1: Fulham (a), Premier League - kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports March 5: Crystal Palace (h), Premier League - kick-off 8pm March 15: Liverpool (a), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports March 17/18: Champions League last 16, first leg (opponent TBC) March 22: Nott'm Forest (h), Premier League, kick-off 2.15pm, live on Sky Sports

The United States signalled at a major security conference in Munich over the weekend that it is ready to go it alone, without its European allies - unless they get serious about rearming. Russia is showing no real desire to end its war in Ukraine. And China is gaining a level of strength and influence that can only be rivalled by America. It all means so-called big power competition - potentially leading to larger-scale conflict - is back, and small and medium-sized countries like the UK and its European allies need each other more than ever. That was a key message coming from this year's Munich Security Conference. It was delivered via speeches by prime ministers, presidents and foreign secretaries on a large stage inside a hotel surrounded by police, barricades and security cordons. Friedrich Merz, the German leader, set the tone with his address on Friday, the first day of the event which stretched until Sunday morning. "In the era of great powers, our freedom is no longer simply guaranteed. It is under threat," he said. "The international order based on rights and rules... no longer exists in the way it once did." President Vladimir Putin and President Xi Jinping of China have already been working to undermine this global system that was created by design to favour liberal democracies and restrict authoritarian regimes by enshrining fundamental values such as human rights and the rule of law. But the end of the Cold War meant that many European governments chose to shift funding away from their respective armed forces that had given them the hard military strength to be able to defend and fight for these values were they ever to be challenged again in the future. Instead, and especially across western Europe, they relied on the United States to defend them in crisis as part of the NATO alliance. Donald Trump, though, has since made clear this assumption of transatlantic protection can no longer be taken for granted. His administration has also gone further, attacking European leaders on domestic issues such as over immigration and free speech. In fact, vice president JD Vance, who led the US delegation in Munich a year ago, questioned whether European values were ones America should even be defending anymore. He did not return this time around. Washington's position instead was represented by Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, who struck a more diplomatic, conciliatory tone. This was welcomed by delegates but his message was no less sharp - Europe needs to take greater responsibility for its own defences as the US steps away to focus on other priorities deemed to be more important to America's national interests. "We want Europe to be strong," he said in his speech on the main stage. "We believe that Europe must survive because the two great wars of the last century serve for us as history's constant reminder that ultimately our destiny is and will always be intertwined with yours." But he added: "Under President Trump, the United States of America will once again take on the task of renewal and restoration, driven by a vision of a future as proud as sovereign and as vital as our civilisation's past. And while we are prepared, if necessary, to do this alone, it is our preference, and it is our hope to do this together with you, our friends here in Europe." Sir Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, did his best to say the UK and its European allies are stepping up to fix their hollowed-out defences. "We must build our hard power because that is the currency of the age," he told delegates when it was his turn to speak. "We must be able to deter aggression and, yes, if necessary we must be ready to fight. To do whatever it takes to protect our people, our values and our way of life. "And as Europe, we must stand on our own two feet." Yet, military insiders were quick to point out that his rhetoric was a far cry from the reality of his own country's defence budget. The UK is only planning to inch up defence spending to 2.5% of GDP from 2.3% by next year, with no funded plan to lift it to the new NATO target of 3.5% by 2035 and no sign of any intention to accelerate the timeline even though other states are going much faster. Elbridge Colby, the US under secretary of state for war policy, offered the clearest possible advice in an address he gave to NATO defence ministers in Brussels on the eve of the Munich summit about how they need to demonstrate action, not just words and numbers. "It means moving beyond inputs and intentions toward outputs and capabilities," he said. "Defence spending levels matter, and there is no substitute for it. But what matters at the end of the day is what those resources produce: ready forces, usable munitions, resilient logistics and integrated command structures that work at scale under stress. "It means prioritising war-fighting effectiveness over bureaucratic and regulatory stasis. It means making hard choices about force structure, readiness, stockpiles and industrial capacity that reflect the realities of modern conflict rather than peacetime politics."

A few minutes turn into quite a few more minutes, which is not usually a promising sign when it comes to interviewing film stars and filmmakers, but it turns out there's a good reason - an unexpected phone call from the president of Brazil. Not the kind of caller you send to voicemail. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, wanted to congratulate them on the film's success: a string of honours starting with major wins at the Cannes Film Festival back in May, which now includes a Critics Choice award, Golden Globe wins for best actor and best non-English language film, plus two BAFTA and four Oscar nominations. As the first Brazilian ever to be nominated for best actor, Moura has made Academy Awards history. "I think it's meaning a lot to Brazilians, especially because we went through a very bad moment in our history where artists and culture were seen in a very negative way," says Moura. "It's a huge transformation, you know, and it's a big change." Veteran leftist Da Silva returned as Brazil's president after beating the far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in 2022. In November last year, Bolsonaro began a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after his election loss. The former leader's three-year tenure was marked by misogynistic and homophobic rhetoric, and a hostility towards culture and the arts; things have changed dramatically under Da Silva. "We went from living in a country where we were seen, perceived by the power as enemies of the people to a moment where the president himself is calling us to say that, hey, we are proud of you," says Moura. "The president saying that 'I see the culture, I see films, I see books, I see this as an important tool to the development of the country'. It's a reconnection." The Secret Agent is set in 1977, during the brutal military dictatorship in Brazil that lasted for more than 20 years, and Moura plays Armando, a professor forced into hiding after clashing with a regime official. While it started as a period thriller, the echoes of recent history are there. 'It requires courage to stick to your values' The Portuguese-language film is up there among the most celebrated of Hollywood's awards season, particularly following Moura's best actor win at the Globes, over favourite Michael B Jordan for his portrayal of twin brothers in Sinners. Mendonca Filho says the part of Armando was "tailor-made" for Moura. After years of talk about making something together, "it only worked when I finally sat down to write a script thinking specifically about working with him". Moura, who is better known globally for his portrayal of notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar in the hit series Narcos, says the film is about generational trauma and values, and he was able to draw from his own experiences. "This film is about a man who is sticking with the values he has, during the dictatorship, which are obviously values that are opposite to [his]," he says. "What Kleber and I went through during the Bolsonaro time in Brazil is a big example of that. It requires a lot of... courage to stick with your values when what's established around you says the opposite, especially in this polarised world. "I think that it's getting harder and harder because the idea of truth is disappearing, you know... facts, they don't matter anymore." There was once a time when the right and the left "would discuss and we would even fight over something, but we were both seeing the same thing", he continues. "Nowadays, it's not about facts anymore, it's about versions, so we are not living in the same mental space, which is a very dangerous thing." Red carpet award controversy But people are connecting with The Secret Agent. Since Cannes, Moura says, "this film has been receiving so much attention, steadily - it hasn't dropped - which is very rare and kind of amazing, especially for a Brazilian film". Which is why a move to hand out the Critics Choice award for best international feature film on the red carpet, rather than during the ceremony itself, proved particularly controversial. The awards hierarchy is nothing new, with the Oscars criticised in recent years over plans not to televise certain technical (read: not enough star-power) awards to tighten the broadcast time. But Filho, who was clearly caught by surprise as he was unceremoniously handed his Critics Choice prize, says now - as Donald Trump's controversial immigration crackdown continues in the US - is a particularly troubling time to make such a decision around international films. Read more:Oscars 2026: The full list of nominationsBAFTAs 2026: The full list of nominations "I think politically, whoever made that decision doesn't seem to have a pulse on what is taking place in the world now and in the United States," he says. "I think once you invite someone to your party, just give him or her all the drink that he or she deserves, you know, don't say, oh I don't have the right to drink this like everybody else." Moura highlights the many brilliant non-English language films in the awards conversation this year, including Sentimental Value, submitted by Norway, Sirat (Spain) and It was Just An Accident (France). "In a year where the international films are great... politically, it doesn't feel right at all." Now is an important time for filmmakers, says Filho. "It does feel like the world is sliding back into a moment of conflict. And it's happening in many different areas and authoritarians are also back in a big way. "So as much as it feels so bad and we worry to death about what is taking place, it's also a very fertile moment to develop stories and tell stories, because the irony of present-day use of power is something that is part of our lives."

Those blunt verdicts frame Sir Keir Starmer's march into recess: a leader who has steadied himself enough to stave off immediate crisis, but whose authority and judgement are still being openly questioned as the party looks ahead to a decisive spring. Sir Keir has been on something of a charm offensive, hosting Scottish and Welsh colleagues at Chequers in a bid to reknit frayed loyalties. "My God, he's actually got a sense of humour - why don't we ever see that side?" one backbencher remarked afterwards. MPs I speak to are, broadly, in a better mood than they were 10 days ago. Even so, ministers concede the road ahead remains uncertain. "I don't know," one says eventually when I ask whether the prime minister will survive beyond May. The "only way" of replacing him "without too much pain", another minister suggests, would be if Starmer chose to stand down himself. "At some point there's only so much one man can take." The minister would not say whether that would be their preferred outcome. One backbencher, not a usual critic, puts Starmer's chances of surviving past May at 50 per cent. For now, the short-term outcome is continuity rather than catastrophe. One MP describes Monday's events as a "remarkable" turnaround: "Shockingly, it seems like we've turned a corner." But, as one minister warns, "the troublemakers will be happy for a few weeks and then find something else to complain about." And there are several flashpoints looming. The Gorton and Denton by-election is just two weeks away. Privately, Labour sources say the outlook on the ground is better than expected. Read more:Mandelson asked to testify in Epstein investigationForeign secretary denies the PM is 'rattled' Others argue the loudest voices are being heard, while the number of quietly loyal Labour MPs is being underestimated. "I only got my seat because people around the leadership backed me," one MP tells me. "So I'll stay loyal to Keir until the end." A pause. "But that end may be fairly near." Those close to the prime minister say he can be at his best when his back is against the wall. His main line of defence to colleagues has been that he remains the best person for the job, and that there is no obvious alternative. It is that question of what comes next that may have saved him this week. The contest over potential successors is, for now, fragmented. Angela Rayner looms large. "Ange won't go for it unless someone else moves first," says an ally. Even some who do not support her believe she could cut through on the doorstep. As one Red Wall MP puts it: "It would give me something to say. There's a personality. There's a product." Any prospect of a Wes Streeting leadership bid appears, for now, to be on ice. His critics continue to brief openly against him; one described to me his pre-interview "breath work" as evidence he is not ready to lead the party. Defence Secretary John Healey has been floated by some as a steady, unity candidate. But a senior figure who has worked closely with him says: "He's not ambitious like that." Another suggests he could act as a stalking horse, clearing the path for someone else. One scenario put to me is that Starmer serves a full first term but stands aside before the next general election, allowing another figure to lead the party into the contest, echoing the decision of former French president Francois Hollande not to seek re-election, with another candidate campaigning as would-be president. Of course, that election saw the Socialist Party vote collapse and Emmanuel Macron's new movement sweep to power. Sir Keir is being pulled in multiple directions. One minister argues he needs a more strategic view, particularly on Europe. Another frontbencher warns that a reset reshuffle designed to appease the soft left would "pretty much finish him". With so many MPs holding slim majorities, there is a degree of self-preservation. We are often "fighting geography rather than ideology," one backbencher tells me. "I understand people wanting to protect their own back yards." A Downing Street spokesperson stressed that Sir Keir, one of only four Labour leaders to have won an election outright, has a five-year mandate to "deliver change, and that is what he will do". For now, "Keir's hobbling on," as a senior Labour figure puts it. "Everyone's going to let him muddle through until May." "He's got nine lives," they add. He may need all of them come May.

Successive victories for Man City have altered the complexion and momentum of the Premier League title race. What was a provisional nine-point gap to Arsenal on Saturday evening has suddenly dwindled to four. This week's results feel like a turning point; City are closing in. More than the obvious value of back-to-back wins, though, was how those wins were earned. After investing "so much emotionally and physically", as Pep Guardiola put it, to come from behind at Anfield on Sunday, City made victory over Fulham look like a stroll in the park. To thrill as they did in the first half, scoring three times in 15 minutes, signifies the confidence of a team who know they are edging closer to the summit. "I say 'guys, we have to do it again', and they did it," summarised Guardiola, as if there were no real jeopardy at all. The rhythm of this Manchester City machine is surely now Arsenal's greatest enemy. Are Arsenal bowing to scoreboard pressure?Live Premier League table | Watch FREE PL highlightsGot Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺 Guardiola is daring to go toe to toe with the best team in the Premier League, which of course has so often been his own. But now the Gunners supposedly have the most complete squad with the greatest depth - attributes comparable to champions. The best squad in the division should win the title, shouldn't they? Except of course this is not a game of should haves. Arsenal should have won the title in 2023/24 and didn't. They led from the front for the vast majority of 2022/23 too. And so here we are again, strapped in for another fascinating instalment of a repetitive saga: 'Can Arsenal actually get over the line this time?' Meanwhile, Guardiola is poised to take advantage. He is not without problems of his own, that point is important. Erling Haaland has only scored once from open play in eight games and is clearly suffering from fatigue, withdrawn at half-time against Fulham, albeit with the game already won. The over-reliance on Haaland has meant he has racked up more playing time than any team-mate (2,148 minutes in the league) - which accounts for his drop-off in effectiveness. And yet he scored the winner from the penalty spot at Liverpool and a sharp third to dispatch Fulham three days later. Chances are he will be given the upcoming FA Cup weekend off to rest. Bernardo Silva and Nico O'Reilly are the other two who would benefit from a break. Both are instrumental to City's structure, whereby Rodri no longer plays the lone role from deep but is aided by the industry of Silva and O'Reilly to help balance in and out of possession demands. It's a pragmatic move from Pep and an acceptance of one of last season's major flaws, that City were too easy to play through. Especially true in transition. The maturing of O'Reilly in particular has been key to the success of this new setup, but City still have problems maintaining control in the second halves of games. The drift is stark. City have lost nine second halves of football in the league, just one fewer than Burnley. If the table were measured by second 45s only Arsenal would still be top and City would sit sixth. Such is City's strong start to games, though, it hasn't much mattered - yet. Thirty first-half goals have been scored in the league, at least nine more than any other side, while demonstrating equally impressive strength from open play even when Haaland is not contributing. City have scored a league-high 42 times from active play compared to Arsenal's 27. In a season of such subjectivities that fact feels important. The diversity of goal threat is one of City's best weapons as long as it remains reliable and not solely attributed to Haaland. The arrival of Antoine Semenyo, scorer of five goals already, has and will continue to lighten the load on the Norwegian. The compelling additions of Semenyo and Marc Guehi in January have already had a stabilising impact. That is how you instigate the change needed to properly ignite a season. It shows intent and ambition. They are marquee signings and have the potential to push City in line with the kind of depth Arsenal have lauded over the league since the summer. Between now and the end of May the need to be perfect is immense. Anxiety over how that is achieved has cost Arsenal in games where City have played first and put points on the board, such as was the case this week. The Gunners have bowed to scoreboard pressure more often than not since the turn of the year, dropping points in four of seven games. That has cost nine points in total. It's not bottle or nerve they are lacking, it's efficiency when it matters. Gabriel Martinelli's miss in stoppage time at Brentford is exactly the kind of chance a championship-winning team scores. Those moments become the marginal difference in the end. Guardiola's side face just one top-half team (Newcastle) in their next five league outings, while Arsenal must negotiate the north London derby and a meeting with Chelsea in between trips to Wolves and Brighton - before the top two clash at the Etihad in April. This is where momentum takes on a whole new meaning. And for the first time this season, it seems like City's pull is greater.