Gabriel Martinelli emerged as Arsenal’s unlikely hero on Sunday afternoon, scoring a breathtaking 93rd-minute equalizer to rescue a precious point against Manchester City in what will be remembered as one of the most dramatic encounters of the Premier League season. Just like in Wednesday’s Champions League win over Athletic Club, when he scored and assisted in the final 18 minutes to secure victory in Spain, the introduction of the Brazilian forward proved to be a game-changer for Arsenal.
The substitute’s delicate lob over Gianluigi Donnarumma ensured Arsenal avoided a potentially devastating defeat that would have left them six points adrift of league leaders Liverpool. Despite seeing his side keep the lion’s share of possession and apply heavy pressure on the Man City goal in the second half, it looked like Mikel Arteta would be unable to keep up his excellent run of form over his former employers, but Martinelli’s last-gasp strike saved the day.
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Unprecedented Tactical Display from Guardiola
A point was the least that Arsenal deserved from a game that saw City play in a way that was unlike anything we’ve seen before under Pep Guardiola.
Their eight touches in the opposition box were the lowest across his 347 Premier League matches in charge of City, while the Spanish boss has never seen one of his teams average a lower possession figure in a league game than City managed today (32.8%).
| Historic Low Stats for Guardiola’s City |
|---|
| Possession: 32.8% (lowest ever in league) |
| Touches in opposition box: 8 (lowest in 347 PL games) |
| Previous lowest possession vs Arsenal: 36.5% (March 2023) |
Remarkably, Guardiola decided to name the same starting XI for a third game running. It was the first time that he’s done that for four years, and only the third time overall that he’s gone with the same side in three successive competitive games during his time at City.
Early Shock as Haaland Strikes with Lightning Speed
The Emirates Stadium was stunned into silence just nine minutes into this highly anticipated clash when in-form Erling Haaland opened the scoring in spectacular fashion. The Norwegian flicked the ball on to Tijjani Reijnders inside the Man City half before the pair advanced at speed towards the Arsenal box.
Haaland’s powerful off-the-ball sprint alongside Reijnders saw him eventually fed the ball on the edge of the box before he slotted past David Raya and into the back of the Arsenal net just nine seconds after his original pass to the Dutch midfielder. It was the earliest goal that Arsenal have conceded in the Premier League since September 2024, in what was also a ninth-minute goal scored by Haaland.
| Haaland’s Impressive Record vs Arsenal |
|---|
| Goals vs Gunners in PL: 5 in 7 games |
| Goals since mid-August: 13 in 8 games |
| Time from pass to goal: 9 seconds |
He’s now scored five goals in seven games against the Gunners in the Premier League, and this strike took him to 13 in eight games for club and country since mid-August.
Arsenal’s First-Half Frustration
It was a frustrating half for the home side, who, despite holding most of the possession (67.5%), could only muster one shot on target, and that came in first-half added time. The statistic highlighted a concerning trend – it had been two and a half years since Arsenal last turned a Premier League game around to win after trailing at half-time, not doing so since March 2023 versus Bournemouth and failing to do so in 12 such games since (D6 L6).
Arteta’s Tactical Masterstroke at Half-Time
Arteta did his best to try and end that run with the introduction of both Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze at the break, with Arsenal putting early pressure on the Man City goal. Minutes after Martín Zubimendi fired just over the bar, Eze stung the palms of Gianluigi Donnarumma with a powerful strike.
The changes immediately transformed Arsenal’s attacking threat, with the Gunners creating multiple opportunities they had failed to generate in the opening 45 minutes.
City’s Counter-Attack Threat Remains
After opening the scoring with a rapid counter-attack, City nearly doubled their lead in the same way in the 56th minute. Sensational work from Jérémy Doku inside his own half saw the Belgian skip two challenges before playing a pass into Haaland. He advanced into the box but saw his low shot saved by Raya this time, before Eze’s rushed clearance nearly cannoned off Declan Rice and into the net but looped narrowly over the bar.
Arsenal’s Dominance Without End Product
Arsenal huffed and puffed, but despite the overwhelming proportion of possession, they struggled to attempt much of real substance to threaten Donnarumma until Martinelli’s equaliser in the 93rd minute. Leandro Trossard had an effort blocked at close quarters and saw an enticing centre fizz across goal without a touch, while Jeremy Doku was unable to flick home from a tight angle at the other end.
The Dramatic Finale
After Eze lofted a ball over Manchester City’s defence, the substitute raced onto the ball before lifting it over a stranded Donnarumma to level the scores.
Just when it looked as though Arsenal were out of ideas, Eze’s pinpoint pass found the run of substitute Martinelli, who took the ball in his stride before flicking over Donnarumma.
| Arsenal’s Substitute Impact Stats |
|---|
| Goals via substitutes since last season: 20 |
| Only Brighton (24) have scored more substitute goals |
| Martinelli’s involvement vs City: 4 goals/assists since 2016-17 |
Brighton (24) are the only Premier League team to score more goals via substitutes than Arsenal (20) across all competitions since the start of last season.
Historical Significance and Records
That goal could prove so important to Arsenal, as a defeat in this game would have seen them fall six points behind league leaders Liverpool after only five matchdays. That deficit may still be five following this draw, but the psychological effect of Martinelli’s goal should lift the Gunners for upcoming meetings with Newcastle and West Ham before the October international break.
The late goal also means that Arteta becomes the first manager to ever go five successive league games unbeaten against Guardiola, providing confidence that he might have the edge over his rival in what could be a close battle at the top of the Premier League once again in 2025-26.
Record-Breaking Statistics
Several remarkable statistics emerged from this encounter:
Arteta vs Guardiola: Mikel Arteta is the first manager to avoid defeat in five consecutive league games against Pep Guardiola, with his Arsenal side winning twice and drawing the other three across their last five Premier League meetings with Guardiola’s Manchester City.
City’s Poor Start: Man City have won just seven points from their opening five Premier League matches (W2 D1 L2), their worst return after five league games of a campaign since 2006-07 under Stuart Pearce (4 points).
Possession Records: Manchester City recorded their lowest ever possession average by a Pep Guardiola team in a top-flight league match (today his 601st), while the two lowest have both been in games away to Arsenal in the Premier League (32.8% today, 36.5% in March 2023).
Martinelli’s Growing City Nemesis Status
Gabriel Martinelli has either scored (2) or assisted (2) in four of his last five Premier League games against Man City. Meanwhile, Martinelli has been directly involved in four Premier League goals against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City (two goals, two assists), more than any other Arsenal player since 2016-17 (Guardiola’s first season).
Looking Ahead
This dramatic draw leaves Arsenal in second place but still five points behind Liverpool, highlighting the importance of converting dominant performances into victories. While Arsenal are back up to second place, they are already five points adrift of defending champions Liverpool. City, meanwhile, are three points back from the Gunners in ninth position.
For Manchester City, questions will inevitably arise about their conservative approach and whether Guardiola’s tactical gamble ultimately backfired. The decision to replace Haaland with defensive midfielder Nico Gonzalez in the 76th minute removed their primary outlet and arguably invited the pressure that led to Martinelli’s equalizer.
Arsenal will have to show more quality in the final third at Newcastle United next Sunday, with an EFL Cup tie at Port Vale to come before then, while City face a busy week visiting Huddersfield Town in the EFL Cup before hosting Burnley in the league.
This pulsating encounter serves as an early indicator that the 2025-26 Premier League title race will be as compelling as any in recent memory, with both Arsenal and Manchester City demonstrating they possess the quality to challenge Liverpool’s early advantage.
Read More: Manchester United Beat Chelsea 2-1 as Fernandes Scores 100th Goal and Both Teams See Red
FAQs
What time did Martinelli score his equalizer?
Gabriel Martinelli scored Arsenal’s equalizer in the 93rd minute of the match, making it one of the latest goals in Premier League history to rescue a point.
How many games has Arteta gone unbeaten against Guardiola?
Mikel Arteta has now gone five consecutive league games unbeaten against Pep Guardiola, winning twice and drawing three times – a historic achievement for any manager.
What was Manchester City’s possession percentage?
Man City recorded just 32.8% possession, the lowest average ever recorded by a Pep Guardiola team in a top-flight league match across his 601 games.
When did Haaland score against Arsenal?
Erling Haaland opened the scoring in the 9th minute with a clinical finish after a swift counter-attack involving Tijjani Reijnders.
How many points behind Liverpool are Arsenal now?
Arsenal remain five points behind league leaders Liverpool after this draw, having failed to close the gap despite their dominant performance.
