Arsenal salvaged a dramatic late point at the Emirates Stadium as Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time equaliser canceled out an early goal from Erling Haaland, in a gripping 1-1 draw against Manchester City in the Premier League.
City took the lead just nine minutes in. Tijjani Reijnders threaded a precise pass to Haaland, who made no mistake from close range. After that early strike, Pep Guardiola’s side largely controlled the tempo, pressing forward; Gianluigi Donnarumma was kept busy, while Jeremy Doku posed a threat on the break. Despite their dominance, City failed to extend their lead before halftime.
Arsenal responded much more aggressively after the break. Manager Mikel Arteta introduced Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze to inject pace and creativity into their attacking play. David Raya, Arsenal’s keeper, made several key saves to keep the home side in the contest as City missed chances to make the scoreline more comfortable.
The crucial moment came deep into stoppage time. In the 93rd minute, Eze slipped a clever pass to Martinelli just outside the box. The Brazilian forward showed composure under pressure, lifting the ball over Donnarumma to draw Arsenal level, sending the crowd into raptures.
Despite both sides pushing for a winner in the closing minutes, neither could break the deadlock further. In recognition of his impact, Gabriel Martinelli, who came off the bench and turned the game around with pace, energy, and that sublime finish, was awarded Man of the Match for his performance.
According to the a report by Punch on Monday, September 22, 2025.