Martinelli’s Late Strike Denies Man City at Emirates
What a game it turned out to be at the Emirates – a clash that had everything you’d expect from Arsenal against Manchester City. The match finished 1–1, but the story behind it was far more dramatic than the scoreline suggests.
It all began with City making a lightning start. Just nine minutes into the game, Erling Haaland did what he does best. He picked up the ball in his own half, combined with Tijjani Reijnders, and calmly slotted past David Raya. It was a devastating counter-attack – the sort of goal we’ve seen from Haaland time and again, and it immediately put Arsenal on the back foot.
The first half didn’t exactly go Arsenal’s way. With a midfield trio of Zubimendi, Declan Rice, and Mikel Merino, the Gunners looked organized but lacked spark. The home crowd grew restless as chances were scarce, and Manchester City looked threatening whenever they broke forward. For a while, it seemed like Pep Guardiola’s men might grind out another crucial win.
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But the game turned after half-time. Mikel Arteta decided changes were needed, and on came Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka. The tempo lifted straight away. Suddenly Arsenal were sharper, more creative, and playing with real intent. Eze almost curled one in, Saka stretched City’s defense, and the pressure began to mount.
City, however, are never easy to break down. Guardiola even shifted his team into a more defensive shape, switching to a back five to hold onto their narrow lead. It was a very un-City-like approach, almost Mourinho-esque as pundits put it, but it nearly worked. Arsenal pushed and pushed, but the clock kept ticking toward full time.
And then, the Emirates erupted. In the 93rd minute, Eze slipped through a perfectly timed ball, and Gabriel Martinelli – the man left on the bench at the start – darted onto it. With all the composure in the world, he dinked the ball over Donnarumma, sending the home fans into chaos. From despair to delight in one moment, Arsenal had rescued a point.
For Arteta, it was another reminder of the value of his so-called “finishers.” He admitted afterward that players like Martinelli and Eze had completely changed the dynamic. It also meant he became the first manager to go five league games unbeaten against Guardiola – though he quickly pointed out that he would have preferred the win.
On the other side, Guardiola reflected on a tough week for City, with big matches against Manchester United and Napoli coming before this draw. He praised his team’s resilience but conceded that dropping points this early isn’t ideal, especially with Liverpool already racing ahead at the top of the table.
In the end, Arsenal dominated much of the play, City showed grit, and Martinelli stole the headlines. A fair result? Maybe. But more than anything, it was a reminder that in the Premier League, games are never truly over until the very last kick.
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