Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to score a dramatic late equaliser as Arsenal held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
City had taken an early lead in the ninth minute when Tijjani Reijnders burst forward from midfield before setting up Erling Haaland, who calmly slotted past David Raya for his 13th goal of the season.
For much of the first half, Arsenal struggled to break down Pep Guardiola’s unusually defensive side. However, Mikel Arteta’s halftime substitutions brought new energy, with Eberechi Eze forcing a sharp save from Gianluigi Donnarumma as the Gunners pressed for a way back.
Just when it seemed City’s defensive setup would secure all three points, Martinelli latched onto Eze’s lofted pass in the 93rd minute and produced a superb lob to send the Emirates into raptures.
Arsenal Slip Behind Liverpool
Despite the dramatic finish, the result leaves Arsenal with 10 points from their opening five games, already five points behind early leaders Liverpool. City, meanwhile, sit ninth with seven points after five matches.
Arsenal captain Declan Rice praised Martinelli’s impact:
“A lot of players can sulk if they’re on the bench, but Martinelli always comes on with heart and desire. That run and finish was a moment of magic.”
Guardiola admitted Arsenal’s quality forced him to adopt a rare defensive approach, with City recording just 32.8% possession – the lowest ever in a Guardiola-managed league game.
“Our resilience was fantastic. Arsenal were better, but one time in 10 years is not bad,” Guardiola joked.
The late drama sets the stage for what promises to be another thrilling Premier League title race, with Arsenal, City, and Liverpool all battling for early momentum.
