MANCHESTER, England — John Stones’ 98th-minute equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for Manchester Metropolis on Sunday in opposition to an Arsenal aspect who needed to play your complete second half with 10 males following Leandro Trossard’s controversial crimson card.
In a pulsating sport at Etihad Stadium between final season’s prime two within the Premier League, Erling Haaland scored his a hundredth objective for Metropolis in simply 105 appearances, giving the house aspect a ninth-minute lead. The Gunners responded impressively, although, as Riccardo Calafiori marked his league debut with a chic left-footed strike earlier than Gabriel Magalhães headed in Bukayo Saka’s Forty fifth-minute nook.
Trossard was dismissed for a second yellow-card offence in kicking the ball away after fouling Bernardo Silva, a second that promoted a livid response from Gunners boss Mikel Arteta. Metropolis spent your complete second half camped on the sting of Arsenal’s field however seemed destined to lose a league sport at residence for the primary time in virtually two years earlier than Stones turned the ball residence from shut vary after a scramble within the field following a brief nook. — James Olley
Arsenal ill-disciplined or refereeing inconsistency?
For the second time in three Premier League video games, Arsenal misplaced a participant to a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.
Whereas Declan Rice was punished for a faint nudge in opposition to Brighton & Hove Albion, Trossard was dismissed right here for booting the ball off into the gap after fouling Silva on the stroke of half-time. Each had been technically right choices, however each had been additionally examples of time losing, which often go unpunished throughout matches — and infrequently in the identical video games. Joao Pedro escaped censure for kicking the ball away in that Brighton contest whereas Jérémy Doku delayed the restarting of play within the first half in Metropolis’s favour with out receiving a reserving.
Regardless of the inconsistencies within the utility of that specific legislation, nonetheless, Trossard’s crimson card extends a poor Gunners disciplinary report below Arteta. For the reason that Spaniard’s first sport in December 2019, Arsenal have had 17 gamers despatched off within the Premier League, 4 greater than another crew. — Olley
Gunners toughen as much as take the struggle to Metropolis
Arteta has added some metal to his Arsenal aspect this season, and it was evident inside simply 5 seconds of the kickoff when Kai Havertz crudely body-checked Rodri within the centre circle.
One of many criticisms of Arteta’s Gunners throughout their fruitless title battles in opposition to Metropolis in recent times has been their lack of edge. They’ve loads of expertise, however was there something behind the grins and pleasure of their younger gamers?
These smiles have been changed by snarls this season, and Arteta’s aspect is starting to develop the nasty streak that ran by all of Arsene Wenger’s profitable groups. Arsenal’s battles with Manchester United, when the 2 sides received each Premier League title throughout a nine-year interval between 1996 and 2005, grew to become legendary for the belligerence displayed by each units of gamers.
Though the Metropolis-vs.-Arsenal video games have but to return near matching the depth of the United-Arsenal rivalry, this sport confirmed that it’s actually starting to brew up. The Havertz problem was considered one of quite a lot of spiky exchanges, together with Trossard’s barge on Silva that preceded his second yellow card.
Gabriel spent the afternoon wrestling with Haaland, whereas Calafiori and Jurriën Timber have each added toughness to Arsenal’s defence, too. If the Gunners fail to win the title once more this season, it will not be due to an absence of struggle. — Mark Ogden
Metropolis ought to’ve been ready for Arsenal’s set-piece prowess
Man Metropolis could not say they weren’t warned — in each sense. Moments earlier than Gabriel headed in Saka’s Forty fifth-minute nook for what threatened to be the successful objective — till Stones struck on the dying — the Brazilian defender had the same alternative from one other Saka supply he headed off track.
Gabriel’s menace ought to have been apparent — 14 of his 16 Premier League objectives have been from corners, the best ratio of any participant with 10 or extra objectives in Premier League historical past — and but the primary time he evaded Doku too simply and the second time he left Kyle Walker in his wake. Gabriel additionally headed in a Saka nook to supply the match-winning second in Arsenal’s north London derby win at Tottenham Hotspur every week earlier.
The Gunners scored a league-high 22 objectives from dead-ball conditions final season, and the mastermind behind all of it as soon as wore Metropolis blue: Nicolas Jover left Metropolis for Arsenal in 2021. — Olley
Gunners cement standing as real contenders
The transition was virtually full. Arsenal are determined to show they’re lastly prepared to finish Metropolis’s dominance by successful their first Premier League title since 2004, and what higher method to do this than beat Metropolis in their very own yard?
The Gunners — like most groups, in equity — have a horrible away report in opposition to Metropolis, their most up-to-date win on this fixture coming in January 2015. It created an inferiority advanced that has proved tough to shake.
In that context, final season’s 0-0 draw was a major step ahead in proving themselves Metropolis’s equals. On Sunday, they had been seconds away from going even additional and securing a press release victory that might have fuelled Arsenal’s self-belief that they might change into champions — just for Stones to grab that feeling away with virtually the final kick of the sport.
Arteta made some stunning calls, handing Calafiori his Premier League debut and switching Timber to right-back on the expense of Ben White, who the supervisor later confirmed was carrying an damage. Some criticised Arteta’s defensive strategy in securing that 0-0 final season, and following Trossard’s crimson card, he surrendered any intention of making an attempt to assault given the numerical drawback his crew confronted for 45 minutes. White got here on for Saka and Arsenal successfully went 5-4-0 in formation.
Stones’ objective leaves a bitter style for Arteta, however he’ll take immense pleasure from the best way his crew defended all through the second interval — going through 20 pictures to none of their very own — particularly on the finish of an extended week that started with victory at Spurs and continued with a Thursday evening Champions League stalemate at Atalanta. The anticipate a win at Metropolis goes on, however Guardiola is aware of he has a critical contender sitting shut in his rearview mirror. — Olley
Pep had few solutions as Arsenal annoyed the champs
Pep Guardiola should have felt as if he was in a recurring nightmare whereas watching his Manchester Metropolis attempt to break down Arsenal within the second half. Arsenal, diminished to 10 gamers by the Forty fifth-minute sending off of Trossard, spent just about your complete second half with a defensive low block of 5 defenders and 4 midfielders, generally lower than 2 yards aside, repelling Metropolis assaults on the sting of their penalty space.
Holding out for 45 minutes in opposition to such a fearsome attacking aspect as Metropolis could have appeared like an not possible process for Arsenal, however they virtually pulled it off, and Guardiola was as a lot accountable as his gamers for Metropolis’s struggles in making a breakthrough earlier than Stones’ equaliser.
Seasoned Guardiola watchers will keep in mind two epic Champions League exits on the Camp Nou when his Barcelona crew failed to beat two sides — Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan in 2010 and a Roberto Di Matteo-led Chelsea in 2012 — who each spent your complete second halves smothering the ball and defending on the sting of their penalty space. It occurred once more on Sunday on the Etihad, and Guardiola did not make key modifications when it was apparent that his crew had been struggling to attain.
Metropolis’s tactic boiled right down to defenders Walker, Rúben Dias and Manuel Akanji taking formidable pictures from the surface of the field, and it was so apparent that Guardiola needed to do one thing. He waited till the seventieth minute, although, earlier than making a change — Phil Foden for Doku — and one other eight minutes earlier than throwing Stones and Jack Grealish into the fray.
The modifications made little distinction till Stones struck, however Guardiola ought to have shaken it up earlier. He did not want two centre-halves on the pitch in opposition to an Arsenal aspect and not using a striker, and he took too lengthy to introduce Grealish.
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On this event, Metropolis and Guardiola obtained away with it, however Arsenal had been so near irritating the champions and claiming an unbelievable victory. — Ogden
Cracks seem in Rodri-less Metropolis
If there was anybody nonetheless doubtful as to Rodri’s significance to Manchester Metropolis, the midfielder’s first-half damage, which compelled him out of the sport, underlined simply why he’s arguably the one participant Guardiola cannot be with out.
Rodri appeared to undergo a knee damage in a seemingly innocuous collision with Thomas Partey on 20 minutes. He underwent prolonged remedy on the pitch earlier than being changed by Mateo Kovacic when it grew to become clear the Spain midfielder could not proceed.
With out Rodri, Metropolis lack the glue that holds the crew collectively. He’s the world’s greatest defensive midfielder, however he has extra to his sport than that, and his creativity is what makes him so vital to the crew.
Metropolis have not misplaced a Premier League sport with Rodri within the aspect since a defeat in opposition to Tottenham in 2023, a run that now extends to 52 video games.
When he was sidelined due to suspension early final season, Metropolis misplaced back-to-back league video games in opposition to Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, so if Rodri is going through a spell on the sidelines along with his damage, it is going to be fascinating to see how Metropolis cope. They virtually misplaced in opposition to Arsenal, however for Stones’ late equaliser, so the cracks within the crew with out Rodri are already exhibiting. — Ogden