Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time equaliser rescued a point for Arsenal but Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola still left the capital buoyant, declaring that he finally recognises his team again.
City parked the bus at the Emirates Stadium and almost held on for three points after Erling Haaland’s early strike.
Guardiola insisted that the rearguard display proves that City have turned a corner following a testing week which included wins over Manchester United and Napoli.
‘It’s the body language – how we celebrate, how we communicate, how we make an effort,’ Guardiola said. ‘We lost it a lot last season. I said I don’t give a f*** about the results, I want to see the spirit back in the training sessions and us enjoying it.
‘We had to recover it. This week we have recovered. We have to continue. I suffered. I don’t like it, I want the ball far away [from goal]. But once in 10 years is ok, right? Our resilience was fantastic, otherwise we cannot survive.’
Mikel Arteta claimed Arsenal were ‘disappointed’ by the result after his counterpart admitted that the hosts boasted full control of the game.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola left the capital in confident mood despite his side’s late concession
Gabriel Martinelli earned a point for Arsenal with a superb lob over Gigi Donnarumma in stoppage time
‘It is true that scoring at the end gives you a bit of emotion, a bit of a taste,’ Arteta said. ‘But then I think the first thought for me was to win the game.
‘I think we did a lot of very good things very, very well in order to get the game to that state.’
Declan Rice added: ‘We’ve gained respect of the opposition – they know the quality we have from front to back.
‘We passed and moved well in the first half and in the second but there was always the threat on the counter.
‘In the end, we deserved the goal and would have been disappointed to come away losing.’
Haaland came off with a back complaint that should see him rested for the midweek Carabao Cup clash at Huddersfield Town, while City defender Ruben Dias praised his team’s work as a defensive unit.
When suggested to him that critics believed City were incapable of defending as one for so long, Guardiola admitted he wasn’t expecting it either.
‘Oh yes, that surprised me too,’ he said. ‘Like Napoli have done against us, 10 against 11, this resilience. I said we were not able but we made a step.
The result leaves City in ninth with seven points from their first five matches this season
‘I want to be honest: it’s nine new players from January. To arrive in the last stages [domestically and in Europe] we have to improve. I want to be closer to the team like we played against Napoli and some moments when it was 11 against 11, and against United.
‘I want to be able to say it’s a pity but the result is fair. Arsenal controlled the game – not us.’
