Arsenal were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw in heartbreaking fashion at the Etihad Stadium.
The match started poorly for the Gunners as Erling Haaland sliced through their defense to score past David Raya early on.
Ilkay Gundogan then hit the post with a free kick, suggesting Arsenal were in for a tough afternoon.
However, Arsenal found their rhythm and equalized with a brilliant strike from Riccardo Calafiori after a quickly taken free kick.
Just before halftime, Gabriel headed home from a Bukayo Saka corner, putting the Gunners ahead. Arsenal looked in control, but the game took a turn when Leandro Trossard received a second yellow card for time-wasting, leaving Arsenal to defend relentlessly in the second half.
Player ratings:
– David Raya (8): Made some key saves, especially a crucial one from Haaland in the second half, and showed smart game management with his time-wasting.
– Jurrien Timber (8): Excellent defensively, keeping Doku quiet in the first half and handling Savinho well in the second.
– William Saliba (7): Solid and composed throughout, with great defensive work after the early goal.
– Gabriel (8): A shaky start but grew into the game, scoring again from a corner and defending brilliantly in the second half.
– Riccardo Calafiori (6): Scored a stunning goal, but his defensive performance was less reliable, with some rash decisions.
– Thomas Partey (7): Poor positioning for the opening goal but recovered to play an excellent defensive role, especially in the second half.
– Declan Rice (7): Adapted well to an unfamiliar position on the right side of central midfield, showing tireless effort.
– Bukayo Saka (7): Delivered a sublime corner for Gabriel’s goal but was substituted at halftime due to Trossard’s red card.
– **Gabriel Martinelli (8): Worked tirelessly off the ball and showed quality on it, providing great deliveries and dribbling down the left.
– Leandro Trossard (6): Unfortunate to receive a second yellow card, which changed the game. Before that, he had been relatively quiet.
– Kai Havertz (8): Played with determination, helping defensively and setting the tone for Arsenal’s fight with a strong early challenge on Rodri.
Substitutes:
– Ben White (8): Despite dealing with a pre-match issue, he was solid and alert in defense after coming on at halftime.
