Goal: Haaland (9e) and Stones (90e+8) for the Skyblues // Calafiori (22e) and Gabriel (45e+1) for the Gunners
Expulsion: Trossard (45e+8) to Arsenal
Stunning. Unable to leave with three points from the Etihad Stadium since 2015, the Gunners thought they could ward off fate by rejecting the waves skyblues up to 98e minute. Trailing from the start, reduced to ten men at the very end of the first half and cornered during the last 45 minutes, Arsenal did not capitalize on the feat that was within their grasp. City remains unbeaten and top of the table (2-2). Arsenal are green, and fourth.
Haaland on fire and at a hundred
For the shock of the fifth day of the Premier League, Citizens And Gunners take the term literally: Kai Havertz hits Rodri in the first seconds of the game, to which Erling Haaland responds by charging Wiliam Saliba (4e). With hostilities launched as they should be across the Channel, İlkay Gündoğan lights the first fuse. The German beats Gabriel on a service from Bernardo Silva at the edge of the area to send a volley wide (8e). On the next action, the former Trojan Savinho, very visible at the start of the match, pierces the London midfield in the middle to launch Haaland, who takes advantage of the poor positioning of the Brazilian defender to slide the ball out of reach of David Raya with the outside of his foot. (1-0, 9e). A hundredth pawn in 105 games, quite simply.
Calafiori, fuoriclass
The combinations citizens gave the Arsenal defence a headache, but Gabriel Martinelli took advantage of Rodri’s injury, just 21 minutes after his return to the league, and the moment of hesitation that followed to serve Riccardo Calafiori whose one-touch curling effort with his left foot cleared the far corner. (1-1, 22e)Pep’s team regained their dominance (82% possession in the five minutes following the equalizer), but lacked cutting edge, unlike the men in red and white: Gabriel missed the target from a close-range corner (38e), and does exactly the same thing three minutes later (1-2, 45e+1) on his team’s second shot on target. Gunnerswho had not led at the Etihad Stadium for eight years, thought they had had a perfect first half until Trossard was booked for a second time after clearing after Michael Oliver had whistled (45).e+8).
Mikel Arteta therefore decides to take off Bukayo Saka and park the bus by switching to 5-3-1 after the break. City still outrageously confiscate the ball (87% possession in the second half), but Raya pulls out all the stops in front of Haaland (59e) then Joško Gvardiol (62e). Arsenal are turning their backs brilliantly, David Raya is working wonders again by quickly getting down to a volley from close range by Gvardiol (87e), but the 26e Second-half attempt is the right one: John Stones breaks the deadlock by throwing himself at the far post from a corner (2-2, 90e+8). City keeps the lead by a whisker.
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