Martinelli Strikes Late To Salvage Point For Arsenal Against Manchester City

‎Arsenal salvaged a dramatic 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to Gabriel Martinelli’s injury-time equaliser.

‎The late goal stretched the Gunners’ unbeaten head-to-head run with City to five games and also kept them three points clear of Pep Guardiola’s side in the table.

‎Haaland Strikes Early for City

‎The game began with Arsenal showing early intent, seeking to exploit the spaces behind City’s backline.

‎However, their bright start was undone within the opening 10 minutes. A battle for possession in City’s half broke kindly for Erling Haaland, who linked up brilliantly with Tijjani Reijnders before racing forward to slot past David Raya.

‎The Norwegian’s strike marked his 11th goal in just six appearances for club and country a reminder of his ruthless efficiency in front of goal.

‎City looked comfortable after their breakthrough, defending with discipline while threatening sporadically on the counter. Reijnders forced a save from Raya, while their pragmatic approach, including slowing down play and disrupting Arsenal’s rhythm, frustrated both Mikel Arteta’s men and the home support.

‎Arsenal Fight Back Before the Break

‎Arsenal, however, refuse to fold. They created promising moments, especially from set-pieces. Declan Rice’s corner caused chaos when Gianluigi Donnarumma’s punch fell unconvincingly to William Saliba, who headed just over.

‎In open play, Riccardo Calafiori and Noni Madueke both went close, with the latter’s powerful strike kept out by Donnarumma. The Gunners’ intent was clear, even if the execution lacked a final touch before halftime.

‎Arteta’s Bold Changes Shift Momentum

‎Sensing the need for fresh energy, Arteta made decisive moves at halftime by introducing Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze. The substitutes instantly added dynamism.

‎Saka’s cross found Martín Zubimendi, who fired narrowly over, while both Eze and Saka tested Donnarumma inside the opening minutes of the second half.

‎At the other end, City reminded Arsenal of their threat, with Haaland forcing another save from Raya before a nervy moment saw Eze’s attempted clearance ricochet off Rice and over the bar. Yet, as the game wore on, Arsenal’s grip tightened.

‎Leandro Trossard came close, and such was Arsenal’s dominance that Guardiola withdrew key attackers Haaland and Phil Foden for Nathan Aké and Nico González, prioritising defensive stability over pressing for a second goal.

‎Martinelli’s Late Heroics

‎For long stretches of the closing stages, the match became a classic “attack vs defence” battle, with Arsenal launching wave after wave of pressure. Calafiori twice came close, including a speculative long-range effort, but City’s defence held firm until the very end.

‎In stoppage time, Eze split the defence with a perfectly weighted pass, and Martinelli latched onto it with composure. His deft dink over Donnarumma.

‎It was a goal that summed up Arsenal’s perseverance and resilience.

‎What This Means for the Title Race

‎For City, the draw felt like two points dropped. They had been on the cusp of a statement victory, only to see it snatched away heartbreakingly.

‎Guardiola’s men now sit three points behind Arsenal, with frustrations mounting after their winless streak against the Gunners extended to five matches.

‎For Arsenal, this was more than just a point. It was a display of character, tactical bravery, and belief in their squad depth.