Manchester City and Arsenal ended in a 2-2 draw in the top match of the Premier League.
22.9. 20:45•Updated 22.9. 21:35
After dramatic stages, Manchester City and Arsenal ended in a 2-2 draw at City’s home ground, when the biggest champions of the English Premier League met.
Arsenal played the entire second half with a 2-1 lead. Its defensive battle lasted almost to the end, but John Stones leveled 90+8. one minute after the corner kick. Stones started the match from the bench.
– It’s frustrating when you don’t get to start in these big games. I came to the field and tried to be concentrated in the box. One fell to me and luckily I put it in the net,” Stones told Sky Sports.
The draw means that City continues to lead the league with 13 points. Arsenal is fourth with 11 points.
Both teams were missing perhaps the most important player. Arsenal captain Martin Ödegaard is maybe even longer on the sidelines due to an injury in the Norwegian national team game. City’s Kevin de Bruyne on the other hand, was injured during the week in the Champions League match.
The match started immediately electronically. The game had been played for about two seconds when Arsenal Kai Havertz bumped into City To Rodriwhich was treated for a couple of minutes.
And the first goal didn’t have to wait long either. The one in a frenzy Erling Haaland flagstone Savinho from a vertical pass to the spot and shot handsomely already his tenth league goal of the season in the fifth match. In total, Haaland has already scored 100 goals in 105 matches for City.
In the 15th minute City Ilkay Gundogan hit the free kick on the post. Moments later, City suffered a bad setback when Rodri’s knee hit the ground and he had to leave the field. Recently, Rodri has been talking about the players playing too many matches and how it can cause injuries.
Manager Pep Guardiola could not immediately after the match say how serious Rodri’s injury is.
In the 22nd minute, Arsenal unexpectedly equalized. City were not ready when Arsenal gave away a quick free-kick in the middle area. The attack ended with the new Italian defender of the gunners by Riccardo Calafiori for a handsome long shot and a goal.
At the end of the first half, Arsenal Gabriel’s strength in corner kicks came to the fore. First, he narrowly headed over, but from the next corner, the header took the ball into the goal. City couldn’t control Gabriel in any corners.
When the extra time of the first half had already been played for seven minutes, we saw more drama. Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard flew out with another yellow card.
Arsenal had to play the entire second half with less and the second 45 minutes was full of City’s control. In the entire match, shots were recorded for City 33–5 and ball control 78–22.
However, Arsenal’s defense has been iron. Before this match, it had only scored one goal in the Premier League and the Champions League combined, and that came just short against Brighton.
Now Haaland succeeded once, but despite the dominance of the entire second half, City did not create very dangerous situations. Until the very last moments, Stones managed to complete the equalizing goal.
– I am proud of the team. We played in a difficult situation. I don’t want to comment on Trossard’s red card. It’s a miracle that we played for so long with ten men without conceding a goal, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta told the BBC.