Manchester City surged back to the summit of the Premier League table after a dramatic 2-2 draw against a 10-man Arsenal in a high-energy clash at Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The first half alone delivered more excitement than the goalless stalemate between these two teams in March of last season, setting the stage for a gripping encounter.
Erling Haaland, who was held scoreless in both Premier League fixtures against Arsenal last season, wasted no time this time around.
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The prolific striker netted City’s opener in just nine minutes, marking his 10th Premier League goal of the season and his 100th in only 105 appearances for the club.
However, Pep Guardiola’s side faces concerns over key midfielder Rodri, who limped off with a knee injury just before Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori scored a stunning equalizer with a well-placed shot into the far corner on his Premier League debut.
Arsenal briefly took control when Gabriel Magalhaes headed home Bukayo Saka‘s corner, mimicking his goal from last week’s North London derby.
But the Gunners’ momentum was dented as Leandro Trossard saw red for two bookable offenses, leaving Mikel Arteta‘s side to play the remainder of the match with 10 men.
In response, Arteta fortified his defense by bringing on Ben White for Saka, adopting a deep defensive setup.
Arsenal’s resilient backline successfully limited City to long-range efforts and employed time-wasting tactics to frustrate the hosts.
Despite their defensive approach, Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Raya was called upon multiple times, producing key saves to deny Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol, including a stunning diving stop to block Gvardiol’s fierce volley just four minutes from full-time.
City’s relentless pressure finally paid off in the 98th minute, with substitute John Stones tapping in from close range to salvage a point and extend City’s unbeaten run at Etihad to 48 matches in all competitions.
While the draw ended Manchester City’s perfect start to the Premier League season, it was enough to reclaim the top spot, moving them one point clear of Liverpool.
Meanwhile, Arsenal now sit in fourth place, two points behind the reigning champions.
