Arsenal Hold Man City to 1-1 Draw
Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City was high on tension but short on quality, leaving Liverpool the main beneficiaries in the English Premier League (EPL) title race on Sunday, 22 September.
Erling Haaland struck early in the ninth minute, racing clear after a defensive lapse to give City the lead at Emirates Stadium in London, England. The Norwegian striker might have doubled it after the break, only for David Raya to deny his brace.
Manager Pep Guardiola then surprised many by switching to an ultra-defensive shape, withdrawing both Haaland and Jeremy Doku as the visitors sought to cling on.
The unexpected retreat invited pressure, and Arsenal finally broke through three minutes into stoppage time. Substitute Eberechi Eze delivered a pinpoint-accurate ball from deep, releasing Gabriel Martinelli, who capitalised on Gianluigi Donnarumma’s poor positioning to secure a vital last-minute equaliser.
Mikel Arteta’s initial line-up came under scrutiny, with his decision to prefer a pragmatic midfield limiting Arsenal’s creativity until the second half.
“Because I say it was the best one to start the game,” Arteta said during the post-match interview, when pressed on his midfield choice.
While Arsenal may feel relieved at rescuing a point, it was a missed chance against a rival. City’s conservatism raised eyebrows, but Liverpool – who are now clear at the top of the EPL with 15 points – emerged as the true winners.
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