LONDON: Gabriel Martinelli’s 93rd minute equalizer saved Arsenal’s Premier League title bid from a damaging defeat to Manchester City, while Aston Villa remain winless after a limp 1-1 draw at 10-man Sunderland.
The Gunners were heading to a second defeat in five Premier League games due to Erling Haaland’s early strike on the counter-attack for City.
Martinelli came off the bench to score for the second time in a week to salvage a 1-1 draw, but both sides lost more ground to Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Arsenal went second, five points behind the champions, while City are eight points off the top in ninth.
“Very disappointed not to win,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said. “I think we played better than last year when we beat them (5-1).”
Arteta’s men had not conceded from open play in their first five Premier League and Champions League games this season, but were opened up on nine minutes by the scintillating form of arguably the world’s best striker.
Haaland started the move deep inside his own half with a lay-off to Tijjani Reijnders and then sprinted upfield to receive the Dutch international’s pass before coolly slotting beyond David Raya.
The Norwegian already has 13 goals for club and country in just eight games this season.
At the other end, City are reaping immediate dividends from the signing of giant Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Noni Madueke’s powerful near post strike was repelled by Donnarumma in what was Arsenal’s best attempt in a flat first-half performance.
Mikel Arteta threw on the creative talents of Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze at the start of the second period.
Eze tested Donnarumma once more but the Gunners struggled to break down City’s massed ranks of defense, with Guardiola even sacrificing Haaland and Phil Foden in the second half to bolster his back line.
However, that gamble backfired when Martinelli galloped onto Eze’s ball over the top and looped a fantastic finish over Donnarumma.
“We don’t try to be like this but when the opponent is better we defend deeper and counter-attack,” said Guardiola.
- Villa lose ‘identity’ -
Villa’s rise over recent years under the tutelage of Unai Emery has ground to a halt as they remain in the bottom three with just three points from their opening five games.
Emery’s men could barely have asked for a better opportunity to end their wait for victory after Sunderland defender Reinildo Mandava was shown a red card on 33 minutes for kicking out at Matty Cash.
Villa had failed to score in their previous four league games but did finally break that drought when Cash tried his luck from long range and Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs was deceived by the power and swerve on the full-back’s strike.
The lead lasted just eight minutes, though, as Wilson Isidor pounced on Granit Xhaka’s header forward for his third goal in as many games at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League.
“It should have been easier to take advantage (against 10 men) but we were not playing with our identity, with the ideas we have been building in the last three years,” said Emery.
Sunderland have made a great start to their quest to end the run of promoted sides being relegated straight back to the Championship.
The Black Cats sit seventh after losing only one of their opening five fixtures.
Newcastle are also struggling for goals in the absence of the departed Alexander Isak.
Eddie Howe’s men have drawn all three of their away games this season 0-0 and would have been happy just to come away from Bournemouth with a point after a short turnaround from their 2-1 Champions League defeat to Barcelona on Thursday.
