Manchester City vs Arsenal: Stones strikes late to snatch draw from claws of defeat

Manchester City salvaged a dramatic 2-2 draw against 10-man Arsenal at the Etihad on Super Sunday, thanks to John Stones’ 98th-minute equalizer.

Pep Guardiola’s side seemed destined for their first home Premier League defeat since November 2022, but Stones’ late strike denied Arsenal a statement win.

The match began with a two-minute stoppage after Rodri’s early injury, but it didn’t dampen the momentum. Instead, Erling Haaland opened the scoring in the ninth minute with his 100th goal for City.

Arsenal equalized through Riccardo Calafiori’s stunning curler in the 22nd minute, and Gabriel’s header gave them the lead in first-half added time.

However, Leandro Trossard’s needless second yellow card for kicking the ball away reduced the Gunners to 10 men.

Mikel Arteta adjusted his tactics at halftime, sacrificing Bukayo Saka for Ben White’s defensive solidity. Despite Manchester City pushing forward relentlessly, Arsenal defended heroically, with David Raya making a spectacular save to deny Haaland.

Just when it seemed Arsenal would hold on, Mateo Kovacic’s shot rebounded to Stones, who snatched the equalizer in the dying seconds, sparking heated clashes between the teams.