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.
2025/2026 Premier League
1-1
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