Resolute and ruthless—until the 93rd: City denied by Martinelli’s late leveller at the Emirates

Manchester City were seconds from a hard‑earned away win when Gabriel Martinelli lifted a stoppage‑time equaliser to make it 1-1. Erling Haaland had put City in front after nine minutes with a clinical counter, and Pep Guardiola’s side then embraced a rare, deep‑lying pragmatism that frustrated Arsenal for long spells.

But the margin was always slim. Guardiola’s changes — Nathan Ake to form a back five, then Nico Gonzalez for Haaland as Jérémy Doku moved central — nearly saw City over the line despite finishing with just 32.8% possession, the lowest for a Guardiola team across 601 top‑flight matches. One ball over the top, one deft finish, and two points slipped away.

Haaland’s searing counter sets the tone

The opener captured City at their most ruthless. Haaland won the duel in his own half, exchanged passes with Tijjani Reijnders and advanced to slide a low shot beyond David Raya. It was the striker’s latest strike in a prolific sequence and the platform for City’s game plan.

Out of possession, City’s press disrupted Arsenal’s rhythm, with Bernardo Silva working alongside Haaland in compact lines. Raya had to bat away a Reijnders drive; at the other end, Gianluigi Donnarumma beat out Noni Madueke’s near‑post blast as City preserved their edge into the interval.

Control without the ball: Guardiola’s pragmatism

Arsenal’s half-time changes — Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka — lifted the hosts. In response, Guardiola prioritised solidity, sending on Ake for Phil Foden to fit a back five, later withdrawing Haaland for holding midfielder Nico Gonzalez and sliding Doku into the No 9 role. It was an unusually conservative posture for City, shaped by a heavy week and an unchanged XI after Thursday’s Champions League tie with Napoli.

There were still moments to kill the contest. On 57 minutes, Doku released Haaland up the inside‑left with Foden square for a tap‑in, but Haaland chose to shoot and Raya saved. From there, City bunkered down, protecting the box and challenging Arsenal to find a pass through the thicket.

Defensive stand nearly perfect

Donnarumma’s handling was sound, pawing away Eze’s fierce half‑volley after the restart and commanding his area as crosses and set‑pieces piled up. The back line, reinforced by Ake, repelled waves of possession, with Doku’s outlets relieving pressure when they could.

City’s willingness to sacrifice the ball was striking: 32.8% possession and blue shirts massed behind it. It was attritional, even alien for a Guardiola side, but for 90-plus minutes it was working. The execution, however, had to be flawless — and in stoppage time, it wasn’t.

One pass, one touch, and the sting in the tail

Eze, operating from deep, recognised Martinelli’s movement and lobbed a measured pass in behind. The Brazilian’s first touch cushioned the angle and, with the outside of his right boot, he lifted over Donnarumma and down into the far corner. After a day of defensive labour, City were made to settle for a point.

Guardiola called the draw fair and conceded Arsenal were better overall, noting the toll of the schedule and injuries. The takeaway is still harsh: a superb breakaway goal and a committed defensive display yielded only a draw. With Liverpool profiting from rivals’ stumbles, City’s lesson is clear — control late moments as relentlessly as they control transitions.