Defender scores in stoppage time to salvage 2-2 draw after Leandro Trossard had been sent off
Report: Man City 2-2 Arsenal External Link
John Stones scored a last-gasp equaliser as Premier League title rivals Manchester City and 10-man Arsenal drew 2-2 in a thrilling, fiery encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
The Gunners looked all set to claim a statement win on Sunday, until City substitute Stones finished from point-blank range deep into second-half stoppage time.
Erling Haaland’s 100th City goal handed the hosts a deserved advantage early on, only for Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes to give the Gunners a half-time lead.
But Arsenal's Leandro Trossard was sent off in first-half stoppage time after receiving a second yellow card for kicking the ball away and delaying a restart.
City overcome Rodri blow… just about
Much has been made for City’s ability to operate without Rodri within their ranks, having lost four of the nine matches in all competitions without their star midfielder last season, while only being defeated once in the 50 matches he featured in.
After being welcomed into the heavyweight clash with a body blow from Kai Havertz in the opening seconds, Rodri – making his first league start of the season – was forced to withdraw after a tangle in the box with Thomas Partey that saw the Spaniard worryingly clutch his right knee.
City’s frustration was further compounded when Calafiori’s long-range stunner levelled the scores, though they were complaints from the hosts, most notably from Walker, with Arsenal having taken a free-kick quickly, and Walker claimed he was out of position after he was called over to speak to referee Michael Oliver.
While Trossard’s red card offered the hosts a way back into the match, City’s slick attacking football was met with Arsenal’s stern defensive rearguard, only for the kind of goal to not usually be associated with a Guardiola team to prove decisive.
Stones’ leveller was anything but pretty, but it could prove pivotal even at this early stage of the campaign.
So close, but so far for Arsenal
Having shown glimpses of their attacking talents in the first half, it was Arsenal’s defensive resolve that shone through in a second, and it almost saw them withstand an endless wave of City pressure.
The Gunners were camped in their own half after the break – and mostly in their own box – but their solid backline, which conceded the fewest goals in the division last season, restricted City to efforts from distance for the majority.
After his penalty heroics in the Champions League against Atalanta in midweek, Raya again proved his weight in gold for Mikel Arteta, producing a number of fine saves, denying Walker, Haaland and Gvardiol, while Bernardo Silva hammered over from a rebound.
Arsenal’s attempts to slow down proceedings late on ultimately ended up coming back to bite them, though, in a long period of added time. The dark arts just were not enough to get over the line.
Amazing
ReplyDelete