Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, were found guilty by a jury at Preston Crown Court in December and have been sentenced to 37 and 26 years respectively for the crime. They had bought assault rifles, handguns and ammunition for the suicide attack they planned on Jewish targets. They saw any Christian victims "as a bonus". Saadaoui's brother, Bilel Saddaoui, 36, of Fairclough Street, Hindley, Wigan, was found guilty of failing to disclose information about the pair's terror plans and was sentenced to six years in jail with an additional year on licence. Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said the plan would have resulted in "the deadliest terrorist attack in UK history". The consequences of carrying out an attack in a crowded area on the Manchester Jewish community would have been "catastrophic", he said. Saadaoui, the former owner of an Italian restaurant in a Norfolk seaside town, "hero-worshipped" Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the mastermind of the Paris attacks of 2015, and wanted to replicate the attacks in which 130 people were killed, the prosecution told Preston Crown Court. He sold up, moved north and used part of the proceeds from his house sale to pay €5,000 (£4,400) as an initial payment for four AK-47 assault rifles, two handguns and 1,200 rounds of ammunition as he planned a marauding gun attack in revenge for Israeli attacks on Gaza. His target was the same area of Manchester where terrorist Jihad al Shamie later stabbed a worshipper to death outside a synagogue on 2 October. Police were so worried about the threat posed by Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein that they established a huge armed operation to protect an undercover operative as he met with the men to determine what they were planning. The operation followed them as they twice travelled from Greater Manchester to the White Cliffs National Trust nature reserve near Dover, posing as tourists to observe the security checks at the port below where the weapons were to be imported from France. Saadaoui conducted a surveillance trip around the area of Manchester he planned to attack with the undercover officer known as "Farouk" and told him he wanted to target schools and gatherings, adding: "Young, old, women, elderly, the whole lot, killing them all." He was caught "red-handed" by police following an undercover sting operation as he took delivery of the first shipment of weapons, supplied and deactivated by police, from the boot of a rented Lexus. Police bodyworn footage showed him running 20 yards across the car park of the Last Drop, a Lancashire spa hotel, before he was grabbed by armed officers and brought to the ground on 8 May last year. MI5 believe that Saadaoui had previously been in contact with an extremist called Hamid al Masalkhi from Cardiff, who had left Britain to join ISIS in 2013 but later died from cancer, sources say. The sentencing judge, Mr Justice Wall, said: "I want to commend Farouk. His is a dangerous and difficult job and he undertook it with great skill and patience. He has potentially saved very many lives by risking his own. "I am not allowed to know his true identity but I hope these remarks will be passed back to him." 'Largest and most complex' counter-terrorism investigation Saadaoui, a former hotel entertainer originally from Tunisia, married an English woman called Jane and moved to Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, in 2012 and then to Great Yarmouth, where he worked in the shop at the Haven Holiday Park. He bought the Albatross Restaurant in the seaside town for £25,000 in April 2018 but closed the business four years later, sold his house in Ipswich Road for £169,000 in May 2023 and moved to Wigan with his second wife, Michelle, and two young children. He worked briefly at a discount store in Wigan called Bonkers Prices, then gave up work, claimed universal credit and regularly posted statements from ISIS on Facebook. Read more from Sky News:UK's most senior civil servant leaves Number 10Timing of Palace's latest Andrew statement is extraordinary However, his postings drew the attention of MI5 and on 28 November 2023, they began an investigation, codenamed Operation Catogenic, described by police as the "largest scale and most complex covert counter-terrorism investigation ever conducted in the North West". Investigators believe Saadaoui was already preparing to launch an attack. Farouk, the undercover officer, told his bosses he believed Saadaoui would "kill a lot of people" if they did not intervene.

The 48-year-old actor died on Wednesday, after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2023. He rose to fame playing Dawson Leery in the popular US drama Dawson's Creek, which ran from 1998 to 2003, and followed a group of high school friends and the highs and lows of their friendships and romances. High-profile names, including director Steven Spielberg and actress Zoe Saldana, were among those who donated to the fundraiser set up to assist Van Der Beek's wife and six children. Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw made a one-off donation of $25,000 (£18,000). While Van Der Beek and Spielberg never worked together, the actor's character in Dawson's Creek famously idolised the director and had posters of his movies up on his bedroom wall. Guardians Of The Galaxy star Saldana pledged $2,500 (£1,800) a month, while Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M Chu pledged $10,000 (£7,300), as did talent manager Guy Oseary. The GoFundMe campaign, set up by friends of the Van Der Beek family to support Van Der Beek's wife, Kimberly, posted a thank you message which read: "Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for showing up for James and his beautiful family. Your kindness has meant more than we can put into words. "In the middle of deep grief, your support has been a light. It reminds us that love is real, that community is strong, and that James's spirit continues to bring people together." The GoFundMe page, which featured photos of Van Der Beek and his family, explained that the actor's family faced "not only emotional challenges but also significant financial strain" during his illness. It said: "In the wake of this loss, Kimberly and the children are facing an uncertain future. "The costs of James's medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds. "They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time." It said donations would go towards essential living expenses and the support of his children's education. Sharing 'adventures of a unique youth' On Tuesday, Katie Holmes, who starred opposite Van Der Beek in Dawson's Creek, paid tribute to his "bravery" and "selflessness," posting a handwritten letter on Instagram. She said they had shared "laughter", "conversations about life", and "adventures of a unique youth". Alongside Van Der Beek and Holmes, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson made up the core cast of four, playing Jen Lindley and Pacey Witter, respectively. Dawson's Creek actors Busy Philipps, Kerr Smith and Mary-Margaret Humes, as well as the show's creator Kevin Williamson, were also among those who paid their respects. Actress Heather McComb, who was married to Van Der Beek between 2003 and 2010, said she was "heartbroken" at the news of his death. 'What a journey' "I am especially heartbroken for his incredible wife Kimberly, his beautiful children and his amazing family, Jim, Jared, Juliana and all of his family and friends who I know he loved deeply," she captioned an Instagram photo of the pair at her 21st birthday. She added: "What a journey we shared over the years. I sit here in immense gratitude for the special connection, friendship and love that James and I shared that has endured through decades. "I will treasure the last loving words we exchanged. James was a beautiful soul filled with so much light, love, talent, humor, depth, sensitivity, knowledge and a deep love of God that shined through him." Van Der Beek remarried to wife, Kimberly, in 2010. His film credits include the 1999 cult classic Varsity Blues, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, The Big Bang and Labor Day. Van Der Beek also starred in the film Varsity Blues, in which he played Jonathan "Mox" Moxon, the backup quarterback of a high school football team, and played a parody version of himself in the sitcom Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23.

However, it will remain outlawed for now as the government intends to take the case to the Court of Appeal. Huda Ammori launched the challenge after former home secretary Yvette Cooper's decision to proscribe the group, which came into force in July last year. It followed action by members of the group that included breaking into RAF Brize Norton and spray-painting two aircraft. The ban put Palestine Action on the same footing as ISIS and al Qaeda, making membership or support of a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Even wearing a T-shirt or carrying a sign with the group's name on it can carry a six-month sentence. Ms Ammori called the ruling at London's High Court "a monumental victory both for our fundamental freedoms here in Britain and in the struggle for freedom for the Palestinian people". She said the ban had resulted in nearly 3,000 unlawful arrests and claimed it "was always about appeasing pro-Israel lobby groups and weapons manufacturers, and nothing to do with terrorism". Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was "disappointed" and disagreed with the court that the ban was disproportionate. She said she would appeal against the ruling, and the government had used a "rigorous and evidence-based decision-making process" when outlawing the group. "The court has acknowledged that Palestine Action has carried out acts of terrorism, celebrated those who have taken part in those acts and promoted the use of violence," Ms Mahmood said in a statement. She said the ban still allowed people to protest peacefully in support of Palestinians. Ms Ammori's lawyers had argued the ban was unprecedented and compared Palestine Action - which she co-founded in 2020 - to the suffragettes. In her ruling, Judge Dame Victoria Sharp agreed Palestine Action "promotes its ⁠political cause through criminality". However, she said the ban was still disproportionate as it interfered with the Human Rights Act, specifically the freedom of ​expression and freedom of assembly. Read more:Activists cleared of aggravated burglary at Israel-linked defence firmThree Palestine Action members end 73-day hunger strike Legal expert Joshua Rozenberg said the court had decided a very small number of the group's members carried out acts amounting to "terrorism" and these hadn't reached a level that warranted a blanket ban. The Metropolitan Police said the group remains banned, "which means expressing support is still a criminal offence". A statement said the force would "continue to identify offences where support for Palestine Action is being expressed" but would "focus on gathering evidence... for enforcement at a later date, rather than making arrests at the time". Some 2,787 people have been arrested since the ban came into force, according to the Defend Our Juries group, which organises protests against the ban. Raza Husain KC, representing Ms Ammori, had told the court that "priests, teachers, pensioners, retired British Army officers" and an "81-year-old former magistrate" were among them. Normal People author Sally Rooney also supported the challenge. The writer said she might not be able to publish new books in the UK after saying she would donate earnings to the group. Earlier this month, six Palestine Action activists were cleared over a 2024 break-in at an Israeli-linked defence firm's site in Bristol. They were accused of spraying paint from fire extinguishers, using crowbars and hammers to break computer equipment and smashing up the disabled toilet. However, they were found not guilty of charges including aggravated burglary and violent disorder, while the jury failed to reach verdicts on allegations of criminal damage.

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 snow and ice alerts are in force for parts of northern England and Scotland, while most of the rest of England, as well as Wales, are under a separate ice warning. The warnings come into force between 4pm this afternoon and 8pm this evening, and continue into Saturday. A separate snow and ice warning for northern parts of England and Scotland will come into force at 9pm on Saturday, running into Sunday morning. The forecaster warned snow, which may be heavy at times, may cause some disruption to travel, especially over high ground during Saturday night and Sunday morning. Check the weather forecast in your area It comes as a cold health alert from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) began today, covering central and northern areas, and runs until 8am on Monday. It warns vulnerable people could be at greater risk and of possible "minor impacts" on health services due to increased demand. Cold weather has already brought road closures to northern England, with the A66 shut between Bowes in County Durham and Brough in Cumbria because of "concentrated snowfall". National Highways said: "Crews are on scene with winter treatment vehicles working to clear and treat the carriageway, however forecasts predict that snowfall will continue in the area throughout the morning." The Met Office said an Arctic maritime air mass has brought in the colder conditions. A weather front bringing more rain, strong winds, and snow is expected to sweep in from the west on Sunday and impact northern areas, it said. "Outbreaks of rain spreading eastwards on Saturday night will fall as snow initially, even to low levels for a time, before becoming confined to higher ground as milder air arrives from the west," the Met Office said. "Temporary snow accumulations of 1-3cm will be possible at low levels, with 3-7cm possible above about 150m elevation, and perhaps 10-15cm above 400m." It said that ice will be another hazard, particularly across north-east England and parts of Scotland where rain could fall on frozen ground leading to "very slippery" conditions. Chief forecaster Rebekah Hicks said additional warnings may be required and encouraged the public to keep up to date with the latest forecasts. Read more from Sky News:Pressure on Big Tech is mountingMan Utd distance themselves from Sir Jim More rain is expected on Monday, with the downpours continuing into the second half of next week. The start to 2026 has brought a parade of gloomy, wet weather due to a "blocking pattern" with 26 weather stations setting new monthly records for rain in January, according to the Met Office. Northern Ireland also endured its wettest January in 149 years. Aberdeen, meanwhile, experienced its longest sunless spell since 1957 when it recorded zero hours of sunshine for 21 days in a row. It finally managed to break the spell earlier this week.

The 84-year-old went missing from her home in Arizona under suspicious circumstances nearly two weeks ago. She was last seen at her home near Tucson on the evening of 31 January and was reported missing the following morning. Investigators said they had found signs of forced entry and believe she was taken against her will. Now the FBI has released CCTV footage showing an "armed individual" at her front door, and a man has been detained and released. Here's everything we know so far. What do we know about the disappearance? The NBC News anchor's mother was last seen on the evening of Saturday 31 January, when she was dropped off at home by family after having dinner with them, the sheriff's department said. Ms Guthrie, who lives alone, was then reported missing by her family the next day, after she did not attend church. Police have said Ms Guthrie has difficulty walking, a pacemaker, and requires daily medication for a heart condition. Her family and authorities have said they are concerned her health could be deteriorating by the day. Footage recovered from Guthrie's doorbell camera Police have said there were signs of forced entry at the property, and DNA tests showed blood found on Ms Guthrie's front porch matched hers. Investigators also found her doorbell camera was disconnected early on 1 December, with software data recording movements at the home minutes later. Investigators said they were unable to recover the footage because Ms Guthrie did not have an active subscription to the service. Then on 10 February, FBI director Kash Patel said footage had been recovered "from residual data located in backend systems". Mr Patel did not say how the FBI was able to collect the video, or why it took so long to retrieve. The footage showed an "armed individual" in a mask standing outside of Ms Guthrie's home. At one point, they appear to try and cover the camera up. Driver detained A man was detained during a traffic stop and questioned by authorities in relation to the case on 10 February, according to the local sheriff's office. Speaking to reporters outside his house, the site of a police search that night, Carlos Palazuelos, who has since been released, said he didn't know who Savannah Guthrie was. The authorities said on 11 February that the search at the man's property was over and that the investigation was ongoing. Ransom notes At least three media organisations reported receiving apparent ransom notes during the week after Ms Guthrie's disappearance, which they handed over to the police. One man was arrested in Los Angeles accused of sending texts to Ms Guthrie's family asking about Bitcoin demanded in a reported ransom letter, NBC News reported. The messages were not linked to the other reported ransom demands. Read more:Why Nancy Guthrie's doorbell footage has led to privacy concerns Heith Janke, the FBI chief in Phoenix, said details in the messages to news organisations included a demand for money. At least one note mentioned a floodlight at Ms Guthrie's home and an Apple watch, he added. KOLD-TV in Tucson later said it received a new message, via email, linked to Ms Guthrie's case. The station said it could not disclose its contents and the FBI said it was reviewing the message's authenticity. The Guthrie family previously said they were willing to pay for their mother's return after an apparent ransom note asked for $6m (£4.4m). The FBI said it was not aware of ongoing communication between Nancy Guthrie's family and the suspected kidnappers. FBI releases more details and doubles reward The FBI released new information about the suspect on 12 February, describing the person as "male, approximately 5ft 9in-5ft 10in tall, with an average build". They also said he was seen wearing "a black, 25-liter 'Ozark Trail Hiker Pack' backpack" in the footage shared by law enforcement. The FBI also said it is increasing its reward up to $100,000 (£73,400) for information leading to the location of Ms Guthrie. The reward, which was previously up to $50,000 (£36,700), also applies to information that leads to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. What has Savannah Guthrie said? Savannah Guthrie shared a video on social media in which she addressed her mother's captor alongside her sister Annie and brother Cameron. "We are ready to talk," the anchor said. "However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. "We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us." She added: "Our mum is our heart and our home. She is 84 years old. Her health, her heart, is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive, she needs it not to suffer. "Mummy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman. You are God's precious daughter." The TV host told the potential kidnappers her family "will pay" for her safe return. "We received your message and we understand," she said, speaking alongside her siblings Cameron and Annie in an Instagram video. "We beg you now to return our mother to us, so that we can celebrate with her." "This is the only way we will have peace," she added. "This is very valuable to us, and we will pay." Savannah Guthrie co-hosts Today, the morning show on NBC News, the US sister network of Sky News. She often brought her mother on as a guest. Speaking on the show in 2022 on Nancy Guthrie's 80th birthday, she said: "She has met unthinkable challenges in her life with grit, without self-pity, with determination and always, always with unshakeable faith. "She loves us, her family, fiercely, and her selflessness and sacrifice for us, her steadfastness and her unmovable confidence is the reason any of us grew up to do anything."

The former Labour cabinet minister told our political editor Beth Rigby on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast that the work so far to tackle it is "just not good enough", and women's voices need to be respected in government. Her comments come after the most difficult week of Sir Keir's premiership that saw him fighting for his political future. Two of his closest advisers, as well as the nation's most senior civil servant, have left Downing Street in less than a week as he has sought to regain control. 👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈 The fallout from Peter Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador, as well as the revelation that the prime minister knew his former communications chief, Matthew Doyle, had an association with a convicted paedophile before nominating him to the House of Lords, saw Sir Keir accused of prioritising a "boys club" culture over the views and experiences of women. For the first time since taking office in July 2024, he addressed a meeting of the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party in which he promised that culture change in his government is coming. Speaking on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harman said he needed to go much further in making tackling misogyny a priority of his government, suggesting that he make it the sixth headline aim of his administration, alongside economic growth, expanding clean energy, fixing the NHS, making the streets safe, and breaking down opportunity barriers. She told Beth Rigby: "I suggested that - you know, Keir Starmer has got these five missions - that we make a sixth mission of actually sorting out misogyny and culture change. "And I think that there is a recognition now that it's not just good enough to - sometimes people have said, 'Keir has said something on one day, and then he is moved on to something else on the following days' - and certainly there's a lot going on, but this has got to be seen through." Women 'not part of the decision-making' The senior Labour peer also argued that Lord Mandelson would not have been made the UK's ambassador to the US if a woman had been in the room, given his known links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. "It wouldn't have been set aside as something that could be brushed past and then just crack on with the appointment," she said. "The problem about misogyny is not just the discrimination that's meted out to women around and about, but it's also you make bad decisions because you've only got one view in the room - men's views - and they don't cognise issues in the way." Baroness Harman also said the phrase "in the room" is "quite bad" because more senior men will make a decision, and then point to the more junior women to be able to say, "see, there's a woman in the room". "Well, she is in the room, but she's not part of the decision-making," she continued. "Actually it's about partnership in decision-making. And that's what they've got to aim for - not just to get women in positions, not just to get women in the room, but to have real equality of decision-making and respect for what women need to contribute for the government to actually get itself on track." Inquiry needed into 'UK's Epstein' Former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson also noted that the women abused by rich and powerful men have not seen justice done. Baroness Harman echoed former prime minister Gordon Brown's call for the police in the UK to investigate the trafficking of women, and called for a "proper public inquiry" into the more than 400 allegations of sexual misconduct against the now deceased former Harrods boss Mohamed al Fayed. She said: "I met on Tuesday this week with some of the victims of al Fayed, and they were saying [that] to see on television minister after minister, everybody's saying, 'we've got in the forefront of our mind these women and girls, the ones that are in America', and they were saying, but what about us? What about your own Epstein, which is al Fayed?" There also needs to be "a total feminist reset of Number 10", and a female first secretary of state (most senior cabinet minister below the prime minister) to "drive forward culture change across government", Baroness Harman concluded.

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.