LONDON – In a heart-stopping finale at the Emirates Stadium, Gabriel Martinelli emerged as the hero for Arsenal, firing home a 93rd-minute equalizer to snatch a 1-1 draw against defending champions Manchester City in a pivotal Premier League clash on Sunday.
The result halts City’s flawless start to the season and serves as a massive statement of resilience from Mikel Arteta’s side, ensuring they remain firmly in the early title conversation.
As expected, the match began at a ferocious pace, and it was the visitors who struck first. Erling Haaland, ever the predator, showcased his lethal instincts in the 9th minute, finding space in the box and delivering a clinical finish to silence the home crowd and give City an early advantage.
For much of the first half, City looked comfortable, controlling the tempo and threatening on the counter. However, the momentum shifted decisively after the break. Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, turned to his bench, introducing key attackers Bukayo Saka and summer signing Eberechi Eze. The substitutions injected immediate energy and creativity into the Gunners’ attack.
Arsenal dominated possession and pinned City in their own half for large stretches of the second period, but a combination of resilient defending and missed chances seemed destined to hand City all three points.
Just as the match ticked into stoppage time, the breakthrough arrived. Eze, influential since coming on, carved open the City defense with a perfectly weighted through-ball that found the darting run of Martinelli. The Brazilian forward kept his composure and slotted a cool finish past the goalkeeper, sending the Emirates into a state of delirium.
The final whistle confirmed a hard-fought point for each side. The draw moves Manchester City to 14 points at the top of the table, while Arsenal climb to 11, ensuring the gap between the rivals remains narrow in what promises to be another captivating title race.
