Gabriel Martinelli scored from the bench for the second time in five days with a fine stoppage-time lob to salvage a 1-1 draw for Arsenal against Manchester City.
City had looked on course to inflict a sobering defeat on Mikel Arteta’s players after Erling Haaland struck in the ninth minute at the Emirates before delivering an impressive rear-guard performance.
However, Martinelli came off the bench to cancel out Haaland’s strike when he latched on to Eberechi Eze’s long ball over the top before catching Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma off his line in the third minute of added time.
The draw leaves Arsenal five points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have won all five of their games so far, with Pep Guardiola’s men eight points off the pace.
Prior to Sunday’s fixture, Arsenal could boast that they had not conceded a goal from open play this season. Haaland, who has proved a consistent thorn in Arsenal’s side, put an end to that after just eight minutes and 31 seconds.
The hosts lost control in the middle of the park with Haaland rolling Gabriel and playing the ball to Tijjani Reijnders. William Saliba did not know whether to stay or go as Haaland charged at Arsenal’s exposed backline with Gabriel, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi all in the Norwegian’s big shadow.
Reijnders played the pass at the right time to Haaland, who knocked the ball out his stride with one touch and then delivered a clinical side-footed finish with his second to fire the visitors ahead.
It was the perfect breakaway goal, started and converted by Haaland, as he celebrated his 13th strike in eight games for City and Norway this season, and his fifth in seven league appearances against Arsenal.
“Finisher”, posted City on “X” in an apparent dig at Arteta, who had used the phrase to describe substitutes’ Martinelli and Leandro Trossard’s match-winning contributions against Athletic Bilbao. Little did they know what was to come.
But back to the first half, and the home supporters were on edge. And midway through the opening period, their anxiety clicked up a gear when Haaland pounced on some sloppy defending to allow Reijnders a shot from outside the box which David Raya was equal to.
Arsenal ended a largely poor first 45 minutes strongly, with Noni Madueke forcing Donnarumma into a strong save at his near post. It was the hosts’ sole shot on target of the half, with City in control.
Arteta wasted no time in calling on his star-studded bench with Bukayo Saka, absent for the past month with a hamstring injury, and Eze on for Madueke and Mikel Merino at half-time.
Arsenal started the second half with an intent that was absent prior the interval. Zubimendi’s shot from the edge of the area flew just over Donnarumma’s bar before Eze forced the goalkeeper to punch clear his stinging half-volley.
City were protecting their lead but Haaland might have done better when he was put through on Raya’s goal by Jeremy Doku’s fine defence-splitting pass only to fire straight at the Spaniard.
On the hour mark, Ruben Dias then diverted Trossard’s dangerous pass across the six-yard box away from Viktor Gyokeres, who was ready to pull the trigger.
Martinelli, who scored 36 seconds after coming off the bench in Spain, was then introduced with nine minutes to play as Arsenal pressed for an equaliser.
Seven minutes of injury time provided the Emirates crowd with hope.
And Martinelli delivered from the bench yet again when he pounced on Eze’s ball over the top before executing a memorable finish which could prove pivotal in Arsenal’s bid for a first Premier League title in 22 years.
