Arsenal 1-1 Man City: Martinelli scores last-gasp equalizer to save one point

Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench and scored a 93rd-minute equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw for Arsenal against Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.

Match Report

City looked set to leave Emirates Stadium with all three points, having held a lead given to them by Erling Haaland in the ninth minute.

Halaand's goal was a brilliant breakaway effort as he offloaded to Reijnders inside his own half before continuing his run. The Norwegian received a return ball from the Netherlands international, then slotted past David Raya and into the bottom-left corner.

Pep Guardiola's team sat deep in an attempt to protect that lead, and even the half-time introductions of Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze failed to spark Arsenal into an immediate upturn.

Eze had one speculative volley parried by Gianluigi Donnarumma, while Leandro Trossard saw an enticing centre fizz across goal without getting a touch.

City could have added a second goal against the run of play just before the hour mark, but Haaland's angled drive was blocked by Raya and Eze's clearance ricocheted off Declan Rice and spun over the crossbar.

And just when Arsenal looked to be running out of ideas, Eze turned provider for Martinelli – who had replaced Jurrien Timber in the 80th minute in another attacking change from Mikel Arteta.

Eze dropped between Arsenal's centre-backs before releasing Martinelli in behind with a pinpoint over-the-top pass, and the Brazilian beat Donnarumma with a wonderful outside-of-the-boot flick to secure a share of the spoils.

While Arsenal move back up to second in the table, they are already five points behind champions Liverpool.

Data Debrief: City's new possession low 

It is not often that you see a Guardiola team "park the bus", but that is exactly what City did after Haaland put them ahead.

City's 32.8% possession share was the lowest ever recorded by a Guardiola team in a top-flight match (also with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, 601 total games).

The second-lowest figure by a Guardiola team also came away at Arsenal – 36.5% in a 3-1 victory in February 2023. 

Martinelli's goal was Arsenal's 20th via substitutes in all competitions since the start of last season, with Brighton (24) the only Premier League team to better that tally. The forward also scored and assisted off the bench in Tuesday's 2-0 Champions League win at Athletic Bilbao, teeing up another substitute in Trossard.

While City were ultimately made to settle for a point, Haaland will be pleased to get on target against a team he has feuded with in the past.

Haaland has either scored (five) or assisted (two) seven of City's last nine Premier League goals against Arsenal. Only Son Heung-min (10) has been directly involved in more league goals against the Gunners under Arteta than the 25-year-old.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

4' Racing back, Khusanov nudges Trossard off the ball

9' GOAL! Haaland runs onto Reijnders' pass and fires home! Arsenal 0-1 Man City

15' Khusanov picks up a knock and the physio has to come on

20' Reijnders strikes from the edge of the box but his effort is blocked by Raya

25' Reijnders is down on the floor but the ref takes no action

26' Rice swings in a cross from the corner but Donnarumma gathers the ball

27' Madueke sends a pass into the box but his attempt is thwarted and cleared

32' Madueke's header is well wide of the post

33' Gabriel's shoes are stepped on by Ruben Dias

36' Bernardo booked as he chases Gabriel down to the touchline and tackles him down

38' Khusanov almost makes a mistake but Donnarumma is alert to control the ball

38' Doku passes to Rodri but he produces a wild shot which goes high over the bar

41' Madueke gets the rebound but his effort is wide

41' Saliba is quickest to the rebound near the penalty spot but his header goes wide

44' Calafiori creates some space for himself and fires the ball high over the bar

46' Madueke drills a shot towards the goal but Donnarumma makes a save

46' Saka and Eze come on for Merino and Madueke

46' Matheus Nunes takes the place of Khusanov

46' Timber is booked yellow as he pulls Doku to the floor

47' A Saka cross is half cleared to the edge of the box and Zubimendi strikes over

49' There are some arguments between Bernardo & Trossard, and the ref blows whistle

50' Eze gets to the rebound and fires a shot goalwards but Donnarumma keeps it out

54' Saka receives a sweet pass inside the box but his effort on goal is blocked

57' Doku slides Haaland in but the shot is saved by Raya

60' Trossard gets to the ball from the resulting corner but his effort is blocked

67' Ake on for Phil Foden

69' Guardiola is shown a yellow card

72' Calafiori commits a rough challenge on Bernardo

73' Doku is down on the floor but the ref takes no action

75' Calafiori plants a header high over the bar

76' Nico replaces Haaland

77' Donnarumma booked as he is adjudged to have taken too long over his goal kick

79' Match Event for Arsenal vs Man City

80' Jurrien Timber off for Gabriel Martinelli

82' City almost make a mistake but Donnarumma gets there and clears the ball

82' Doku collects the ball in the box, pokes at goal but it's just wide

84' Ethan Nwaneri on for Leandro Trossard

87' Nico O'Reilly is replaced by John Stones, and Jeremy Doku off for Savinho

89' Match Event for Arsenal vs Man City

92' GOAL! Martinelli gets in behind defence & lobs Donnarumma! Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Line-ups

Arsenal XI: Trossard, David Raya, Merino, Rice, Viktor Gyökeres, Gabriel, Martín Zubimendi, Saliba, Madueke, Timber, Calafiori

Subs: Christian Nørgaard, Kepa, Ben White, Eberechi Eze, Martinelli, Saka, Cristhian Mosquera, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly

Man City XI: Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Donnarumma, Rodri, Haaland, Foden, Reijnders, Doku, Gvardiol, Nico O'Reilly, Abdukodir Khusanov

Subs: Ake, Stones, Matheus Nunes, Nico González, James Trafford, Bobb, Lewis, Savinho, Divine Mukasa