Arsenal Snatch Stoppage-Time Draw Against Manchester City

Substitute Gabriel Martinelli scored a dramatic 93rd-minute equaliser to earn Arsenal a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Manchester City in a tense Premier League encounter at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

The visitors took a ninth-minute lead when Erling Haaland finished off a swift counter-attack, calmly slotting the ball past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya. For much of the match, it appeared that goal would be enough for City, but Martinelli’s late intervention ensured the points were shared.

The result was another vindication of manager Mikel Arteta’s faith in his substitutes, with Martinelli coming off the bench to score for the second consecutive game.

After Haaland’s opener, a disciplined City side controlled the first half, with Arsenal struggling to create clear-cut opportunities. The hosts’ midfield, including Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard, found it difficult to break down City’s organised defence, leading to frustration among the home crowd before the interval.

Arteta introduced Bukayo Saka, returning from a hamstring injury, at the start of the second half, and the change immediately injected more intensity into Arsenal’s play. The Gunners began to threaten, with Declan Rice firing a shot just over the crossbar and City goalkeeper Ederson forced into a key save to maintain his side’s lead.

While Arsenal pushed forward, City remained a potent threat on the break, primarily through the pace of Belgian winger Jérémy Doku. In the latter stages, City manager Pep Guardiola responded to the increased pressure by switching to a five-man defence, looking to secure the victory.

However, the tactical shift was not enough. In the third minute of added time, Martinelli timed his run perfectly to meet a through ball from Martin Ødegaard, deftly lifting his finish over the onrushing Ederson to send the home fans into raptures.

The draw extends Arsenal’s unbeaten run against Guardiola’s City to five consecutive matches in all competitions. The impact of Martinelli’s goal also reinforced Arteta’s recent comments that his “finishers” are often as important as his starting players.