MANCHESTER (AFP) – John Stones’ 98th-minute equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for Manchester City against 10-man Arsenal in a bad-tempered clash between the two favourites for the Premier League title on Sunday.
Arsenal played the entire second half a man down after Leandro Trossard was sent off but were seconds away from inflicting City’s first home defeat since November 2022.
“We have that belief we can win any game and never stop fighting,” said Stones.
A draw was enough for City to retake top spot, two points clear of Arsenal in fourth.
Erling Haaland’s 100th City goal had given Pep Guardiola’s men the perfect start.
Arsenal turned the game around thanks to Riccardo Calafiori’s wonder strike and another set-piece header from Gabriel Magalhaes.
The Gunners lost Trossard for a second booking just before half-time.
However, Mikel Arteta’s men produced a stunning rearguard action to hold out until the final seconds when Stones bundled in after Arsenal failed to clear a corner.
“It is a miracle we played 56 minutes at the Etihad with 10 men (and didn’t lose). It is unbelievable what we have done,” said Arteta.
“They have made another big step today as a team and individuals.”
The powder keg for an explosive encounter was lit within the first few seconds when Kai Havertz charged into Rodri to leave the Spaniard needing treatment.
Guardiola said City had been handed an advantage by having an extra day’s rest and not travelling for their Champions League draw with Inter Milan on Wednesday.
Arsenal, by contrast, were in Italy on Thursday for their 0-0 stalemate against Atalanta.
City burst out of the traps to try and make their fresher legs count and got an early reward.
Haaland’s 100
Haaland had not even managed a single shot on target in the two league meetings between the sides last season as Arsenal kept two clean sheets against the champions.
But the Norwegian is in unstoppable form and took just nine minutes to score his 10th goal of the season and bring up his century in 105 games for City.
Savinho’s through ball split the Arsenal defence and Haaland coolly prodded past the onrushing David Raya.
But City’s momentum was interrupted when Rodri was forced off in some distress with a knee injury.
Just seconds after he was replaced by Mateo Kovacic, Arsenal levelled in stunning fashion.
Calafiori was picked out by Gabriel Martinelli at the edge of the box and the Italian defender curled a brilliant effort beyond Ederson for his first Gunners goal.
Gabriel scored the winner in Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Tottenham in the north London derby last weekend.
And City were also unable to cope with the Brazilian’s power at set-pieces.
Guardiola’s men got away with a warning when Gabriel headed over his first big opportunity from a Bukayo Saka corner.
The Arsenal centre-back was not so forgiving with his second chance as he shrugged off Kyle Walker to nod in another inviting delivery from Saka.
Yet there was another huge momentum swing just before half-time when Trossard saw red.
The Belgian was shown a second yellow for kicking the ball away after committing a foul.
Arsenal dropped two points in a 1-1 draw with Brighton after Declan Rice did likewise just three weeks ago and they suffered a similar fate in heartbreaking fashion.
Arteta responded by introducing an extra defender in Ben White for Saka as the visitors set up camp in their own box to repel wave upon wave of City attack.
Raya was called upon to save a powerful downward header by Haaland.
But Arsenal largely restricted City to potshots from distance by their centre-backs as Raya twice denied Josko Gvardiol.
It was another City defender who finally got what could be a defining goal in the title race come May.
Stones swept home the loose ball from Jack Grealish’s cross to extend City’s near two-year invincible streak on home soil.