Manchester City looked set to leave the Emirates with a hard-fought victory until Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli delivered a stoppage-time equaliser to rescue a point in a tense Premier League showdown.
The thrilling finish capped off a night where City’s defensive steel met Arsenal’s relentless persistence.
The champions struck first with trademark ruthlessness inside the opening 10 minutes. Erling Haaland pounced on a loose ball in midfield, exchanged passes with Tijjani Reijnders, and finished coolly past David Raya to continue his blistering scoring streak.
That early breakthrough silenced the home crowd and gave City the upper hand.
Arsenal, however, refused to be rattled. They dominated possession, pressed aggressively, and forced a series of corners, but City’s backline stood tall. Guardiola’s men dropped deeper as the half progressed, repelling wave after wave of Arsenal pressure, and went into the interval with their slender lead intact.
The second half saw a flurry of changes from both managers. Arsenal injected fresh energy with Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze, while City introduced Matheus Nunes after Khusanov’s injury.
With more creativity on the pitch, Arsenal tightened their grip, but City’s defensive quartet, Dias, Gvardiol, Donnarumma, and O’Reilly remained composed under the mounting siege.
Time ticked away with frustration building for the Gunners, who were repeatedly denied by City’s organisation and discipline. Every Arsenal surge was met with resolute defending, leaving the home fans fearing their side would fall short despite their dominance. Guardiola’s men looked seconds away from sealing all three points.
But in football’s cruelest fashion, the script flipped in stoppage time. Eze lifted a perfectly weighted pass over the top for Martinelli, who kept his nerve to lob Donnarumma and ignite the Emirates in celebration. City were left stunned, Arsenal triumphant in spirit, and both sides forced to settle for a share of the spoils.
