The Premier League does not disappoint, especially when two titans clash, two top teams full of stars, who end up deciding the score with fine details but spare no effort for the spectacle.
It was a battle that agonizingly saw Manchester City equalize at the end, against a fighting Arsenal that swam a lot, a lot, but drowned on the shore, as they were leading the Premier League until the 97th minute, and in a late mistake ended up signing a 2-2. What an effort!
Thrilling Start
City was dominating at home, losing Rodri due to a harsh foul by Havertz, and in the 9th minute took the lead: a superb play by Savinho and a deep pass to Haaland, who seldom misses in the area, shouted 1-0, the much-awaited 100th goal.
But Arteta’s men absorbed that blow well, and in a local distraction, a genuine long-range stunner from Calafiori equalized the score 2-2. It was his first goal wearing the Arsenal shirt, a memorable moment.
And from there the visitors gained confidence, trying to take advantage of the slow pace of the rival defense and warned with a cross before punishing at 45+1. The play of Gabriel Magalhaes’ goal justifies the daily work of his team: they changed marks in the City, all failed, and from behind the man of the goal appeared to head in and sign 1-2, which no one expected. No wonder Guardiola’s furious kick on the bench.
Of course, Arteta’s ire at the end of the first half was not left behind: Trossard had committed a tactical foul at the start of the match and earned a yellow, and then, for a quite normal foul against Bernardo Silva, saw a red card. The referee was a bit sensitive to send them to halftime.
Resist at All Costs
At the start of the second half, what else could Arsenal do but withdraw, deny spaces to their rival, and wait for a mistake to punish?
Guardiola brought on Fonde, Grealish, and Stones, going all out for the comeback, while Arteta’s men stepped out with a script that somewhat flattened the classic encounter.
Kovacic, Ruben Dias (three times), Akanji, and Gvardiol were turning Raya, the goalkeeper, into a star, always focused to resolve when a ball passed into his area.
The locals grew tired of crashing over and over against the red barrier until at 45+7 the equalizing goal finally came, a series of deflections in the area that landed at Stones, who touched the ball for the first time and sent it into the net. Arsenal went from being Premier League leaders to holding fourth place, with 11 points, while City defended its first position with 13 points.