“Either they sell him or sack me…He was the only Player who constantly disobey my simple instructions”: Mikel Arteta threatened Arsenal to sell ONE big name player for disobeying his instructions against Man City- His mistake led to Man City’s second goal
Manchester City have returned to the top of the Premier League table after rescuing a 2-2 draw against 10-man Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Erling Haaland’s 100th Man City goal – and 10th of the Premier League season – was cancelled out by Riccardo Calafiori’s first Arsenal strike on his full league debut, before Gabriel Magalhaes headed Arsenal in front on the stroke of half time.
Arsenal entered the interval a man down, though, after Leandro Trossard was sent off for two bookable offenses, forcing Mikel Arteta to park the bus in the second 45 in an attempt to hold on for a win. However, John Stones came off the substitutes’ bench to net a dramatic 98th-minute equaliser and salvage a point for Pep Guardiola’s men.
Here, We takes a look at how each player performed in the top-of-the-table showdown.
GOALKEEPER
David Raya- 9/10
Arguably Arsenal’s Player of the Season thus far who made a total of nine saves, including a superb diving stop to deny Josko Gvardiol four minutes from time.
DEFENCE
Jurrien Timber – 7/10
After playing at left-back for much of this season, Timber was asked to operate on the right side of a back four and rose to the occasion. Looked confident and composed throughout.
William Saliba- 7/10
There was a surprisingly large gap between Arsenal’s two centre-backs as Haaland burst through on goal and net his opener, and Saliba could have arguably done better in that moment to close down the Norwegian. Nevertheless, the Frenchman barely put a foot wrong after that and made numerous blocks and clearances to deny City until the late equaliser.
Gabriel Magalhaes- 8/10
Gabriel put in another assured
performance at the back for the Gunners and once again showed his exceptional threat from set-pieces with his second consecutive headed goal in as many games. Another colossal display from the Brazilian.
Riccardo Calafiori- 8/10
Calafiori was beaten far too easily by Savinho before he set up Haaland’s opener, but the Italian summer signing recovered well and marked his first Premier League start for the Gunners with a stunning side-footed equaliser in the 23rd minute.
MIDFIELD
Declan Rice- 7/10
Rice was not heavily involved but he certainly put in a shift in midfield, particularly in the second 45. He was also booked for time wasting before taking a free kick in the second half.
Thomas Partey- 7/10
Partey performed similarly to his midfield partner Rice and did well to make numerous interceptions in deep midfield areas. He was also booked for a late challenge on Savinho during a Man City counter-attack.
Leandro Trossard- 5/10
Trossard was operating in a central attacking midfield role in behind Kai Havertz, but his outing at the Etihad was marred by receiving two needless bookings; his first for pulling the shirt of Savinho on the break and his second for kicking the ball away after barging into the back of Bernardo Silva in the seventh minute of first-half stoppage time.
ATTACK
Bukayo Saka- 6/10
Saka looked lively in stages during the first half and curled a superb corner onto the head of Gabriel for Arsenal’s second before half time, but he was sacrificed at the break following Trossard’s dismissal.
Kai Havertz- 6/10
Havertz was rarely involved from an attacking perspective but that was largely due to the fact that he dropped back into midfield for the second half and put in the hard yards defensively.
Gabriel Martinelli- 7/10
Martinelli set up Calafiori for his equaliser and provided a constant out-ball for Arsenal on the counter-attack in the second half, when he also helped out defensively on the left flank.
