A pulsating Premier League encounter at the Emirates Stadium saw Arsenal and Manchester City battle to a 1-1 draw, with Gabriel Martinelli's late stunner rescuing a point for the Gunners. Erling Haaland's early goal had given City the lead, but Arsenal fought back to secure a share of the spoils in a match filled with tactical intrigue and individual brilliance. Here's a look at how each player performed:
Arsenal Player Ratings:
- David Raya (6/10): Could do little about Haaland's clinical finish. Made a crucial save later to prevent City from extending their lead.
- Jurrien Timber (6/10): Had a decent game on the right, but Doku's trickery caused problems. Booked for a foul on Doku.
- William Saliba (7/10): Solid on his return from injury. Could have picked an easier game to return from injury.
- Gabriel Magalhães (5/10): Lost the challenge against Haaland for City's goal. Looked vulnerable when caught out of position.
- Riccardo Calafiori (6/10): Showed energy going forward but lacked an end product.
- Martin Zubimendi (6/10): Did his job in midfield, keeping things ticking. Grew in influence as the game went on.
- Declan Rice (6/10): Tasked with a creative role in the absence of Odegaard but struggled to have an impact.
- Mikel Merino (5/10): Struggled to make an impact and was substituted at halftime. Offered little in possession.
- Noni Madueke (7/10): Arsenal's best player in the first half. Forced Donnarumma into a couple of saves.
- Viktor Gyokeres (5/10): Struggled to get into the game, often failing to find space.
- Leandro Trossard (5/10): Anonymous for much of the first half. Got more involved in the second half.
Arsenal Substitutes:
- Bukayo Saka (7/10): A lively presence after coming on at halftime.
- Eberechi Eze (7/10): Provided the assist for Martinelli's goal. Should have started the match.
- Gabriel Martinelli (7/10): A superb lobbed finish for the equalizer, a proper super-sub performance.
- Ethan Nwaneri (6/10): Brought some urgency to the attack.
- Cristhian Mosquera (N/A): Introduced late in the game.
Manchester City Player Ratings:
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (7/10): Made fine saves from Madueke and Eze. Could do nothing about the equalizer. Showed great misjudgement for Martinelli's late goal by stepping out of the six-yard box.
- Abdukodir Khusanov (6/10): Contained Trossard well before being subbed off with an injury.
- Ruben Dias (7/10): Marshaled the City defense effectively. Kept Gyokeres quiet.
- Josko Gvardiol (7/10): Solid defensively but arguably at fault for Arsenal's goal due to his high line. Harried and hassled Viktor Gyokeres.
- Nico O'Reilly (7/10): Dealt well with Madueke and Saka.
- Rodri (6/10): Held his position well in midfield. City's midfield looks so much more secure with him in it.
- Tijjani Reijnders (8/10): Lovely run and assist for Haaland's goal. His positioning caused Arsenal problems.
- Bernardo Silva (6/10): Worked hard and helped ease pressure on the City defense. The wily Portuguese seemed to repeatedly make the right decisions at the right time.
- Phil Foden (6/10): Struggled to replicate his performance from last week.
- Jeremy Doku (8/10): A constant threat with his runs.
- Erling Haaland (8/10): Scored a well-taken goal and led the line effectively.
Manchester City Substitutes:
- Matheus Nunes (6/10): Full of running but repeatedly lost his footing.
- Nathan Ake (5/10): Added solidity to the defense but allowed Martinelli to get away from him.
- Nico Gonzalez (5/10): Offered less than Haaland.
- John Stones (N/A): Didn't do a great deal when introduced.
- Savinho (N/A): Helped see the game out with some good hold-up play.
The match was a tactical battle, with Arsenal dominating possession and City relying on counter-attacks. Martinelli's late goal ensured that Arsenal secured a point, leaving both teams with mixed emotions.