Martinelli rescues Arsenal point as City pay for defensive approach
Manchester City's Jeremy Doku and Arsenal's Jurrien Timber battle for the ball during the Premier League match at Emirates Stadium. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI came off the bench to score a brilliant injury time equaliser and deny Erling Haaland the match-winning glory after he had struck his 19th goal in only 15 matches.
That early goal had seemingly inflicted a significant revenge victory over Premier League title rivals in a result that left early league leaders Liverpool even happier. But City ultimately paid for their negative approach and could have lost it late on as Martinelli repeasted his midweek substitute heroics from their Champions League win away to Arthletic Club.
Arne Slot’s reigning champions are now five points clear of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and eight ahead of Pep Guardiola’s City after only five games. Too soon to panic, but significant enough of a gap early on to feel concerned.
Arsenal won this fixture 5-1 last season and as good as ended City’s title credentials. Only time will tell the significance of this match but it felt important for the season ahead.
That Guardiola came with a defence-first mindset was a compliment to Arteta’s attacking force but winning at all costs, however defensive or negative, matters little with three precious points at stake at the sharp end.
City’s breakaway goal came after only nine minutes. It was a devastatingly efficient move from the start to Haaland’s finish. Tijjani Reijnders struck the telling through ball and the Norwegian forward left chasing Arsenal defender Gabriel for dust to finish with a low shot.
City’s defensive, stalling tactics featured fouls by Haaland and Bernado Silva and , Reijnders feigning injury. Revenge was tasting sweet for City on every level from very early in the match.
Arteta was possibly regretting leaving Eberechi Eze on the bench as his side struggled to find a way through the blue wall. When they did, Gianluigi Donnarumma was supremely dominant in his area and made a strong save from the lively Noni Madueke in first half injury time.
Arteta sent out his half-time message in the form of sending on fit again Bukayo Saka and Eze on for Mikel Merino and the unfortunate Madueke, who had been Arsenal’s best player.
Guardiola made them sweat by delaying his side’s return to the arena, having switched Abdukodir Khusanov for Matheus Nunes at right back.
Within moments Arsenal had another chance as Martin Zubimendi lifted a shot narrowly over the cross bar from the edge of the area. Eze had a shot well saved too and Arsenal were now playing how they should have started the match and not just the second half Guardiola took his frustration out on the linesman and fourth official and was booked for his verbals.
Arsenal, meanwhile, laboured to create a really clear cut chance for the remainder of the match until super sub Martinelli struck again Eze sent the Brazil forward running on to a lofted through ball. M<Martinelli controlled well with his first touch and then lobbed a stunned Donnarumma with his second.
Guardiola has now gone five games without a league win against an opponent for the very first time.
Raya 6, Timber 6 (Martinelli 80), Saliba 6, Gabriel 6, Calafiori 6, Zubimendi 7 (Mosquera 90), Rice 6, Merino 6 (Eze 46), Madueke 7 (Saka 46), Trossard 6 (Nwaneri, 84), Gyokeres 5.
Arrizabalaga, White, Norgaard, Lewis-Skelly.
Donnarumma 8, Khusanov 5 (Nunes 46), Dias 6, Gvardiol 6, O’Reilly 7 (Stones 87), Rodrigo 6, Bernardo 6, Reijnders 6, Foden 5 (Ake 68), Doku 7 (Savinho 87), Haaland 8 (Nico 76).
Trafford, Bobb, Mukasa, Lewis.
Stuart Attwell 4
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