Arsenal fans witnessed pure drama at the Emirates on Sunday evening as Gabriel Martinelli’s 95th-minute strike denied Manchester City all three points in a tense Premier League clash.
Erling Haaland had earlier silenced the home crowd with a precise finish inside the first ten minutes, putting Pep Guardiola’s men in control. The Norwegian, already with 12 goals this season, showed his trademark composure after linking up brilliantly with Tijjani Reijnders.
But while City started brightly, their approach turned surprisingly cautious as the game wore on. Guardiola, known for his attacking football, went defensive even substituting Haaland in the final quarter-hour. His decision to “park the bus” ultimately backfired.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, on the other hand, rolled the dice. The introductions of Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze injected urgency into the Gunners’ play. And when Eze floated a perfectly weighted ball over City’s back line, Martinelli pounced. Beating Nathan Ake’s offside trap, the Brazilian calmly lifted the ball over Gianluigi Donnarumma, sending the Emirates into chaos.
Guardiola had earlier voiced frustration with the fixture schedule, quipping that his side might as well go “hiking” during the 66-hour gap between their Champions League clash with Napoli and this showdown. Yet despite naming an unchanged XI, City couldn’t find the killer blow after Haaland’s opener.
The result leaves Arsenal in second place, five points behind leaders Liverpool, while City with just two wins from five matches sit unusually low in ninth. More worryingly for Guardiola, this marks the first time in his Premier League career he has gone five straight games without a league victory against the same opponent.
Liverpool, meanwhile, were the day’s biggest winners, watching their rivals cancel each other out while maintaining their perfect start.
As the final whistle blew, one truth was clear: Arsenal may not have claimed all three points, but Martinelli’s late heroics ensured they remain very much in the title race while City’s stuttering form raises more questions than answers.
–Deeprows Sports
