Manchester City left north London with just one point after a tense Premier League clash against Arsenal. Pep Guardiola’s men got off to a perfect start when Erling Haaland fired in a stunning finish less than 10 minutes after the opening whistle. The visitors then dug in, defending their lead for more than 80 minutes.
Their resistance was finally broken deep into stoppage time when substitute Gabriel Martinelli struck, levelling the score three minutes into added time. The late goal punished City, who had spent most of the second half under heavy pressure inside their own half.
Guardiola on a demanding week
Speaking after the game, Guardiola pointed to the physical and emotional toll of recent fixtures. City had secured important wins over Manchester United and Napoli in the days leading up to the match, results that he believes made this draw more valuable.
“We cannot separate this result from what we experienced this week,” he said. “We had two intense games against United and Napoli. The players showed great spirit and resilience.”
The manager admitted Arsenal enjoyed the upper hand for large parts of the contest but noted that the outcome was an improvement compared to last season’s trip. “We were tired. Napoli was an emotional challenge, then we travelled quickly to London. It was difficult but we stayed in the game.”
Injuries, fatigue and tactical choices
Guardiola also highlighted the strain caused by absentees, naming John Stones, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Aït-Nouri and Nathan Aké among those unavailable through injury. Despite those setbacks, his side nearly claimed a win by adopting an unusual approach.
City finished the match with just 33% possession, ceding control and defending deep for long spells — a strategy more commonly used against them. Guardiola said the plan was deliberate, designed to maximise the pace of Haaland on the counter.
“When the opponent has the advantage, we sometimes have to play this way,” he explained. “With Erling’s power running forward, it gives us a chance. In the past, we scored plenty from transitions with fast attacking players. I prefer not to play like this, but sometimes it’s necessary at this level.”
