Arsenal Escape Defeat to Manchester City in Dramatic Finale

Arsenal avoided defeat against visitors Manchester City with a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium in the closing match of the fifth round of the English Premier League.

City looked set to claim their second consecutive win and third of the season after Norwegian striker Erling Haaland opened the scoring in the 9th minute. However, Brazilian substitute Gabriel Martinelli, who came on in the 80th minute for Dutchman Jurriën Timber, struck the equalizer in the third of seven minutes of stoppage time.

The Gunners thus avoided a home defeat to their heavyweight opponents for the third straight encounter, securing a valuable point that lifted them back to second place on 10 points—five behind leaders and reigning champions Liverpool, and ahead of Tottenham and Bournemouth on goal difference. City, meanwhile, sit ninth on seven points, having started the campaign with back-to-back defeats to Tottenham (2-0) and Brighton (2-1).

Elsewhere, Aston Villa failed to taste victory for the fifth straight match, drawing 1-1 away to Sunderland despite the hosts playing with 10 men for over 67 minutes.

Villa squandered their lead after Polish defender Matty Cash netted the club’s first league goal of the season in the 67th minute, only for Frenchman Wilson Isidor to level for Sunderland eight minutes later. The Black Cats had been reduced to 10 men in the 33rd minute following the dismissal of Mozambican full-back Reinildo Mandava.

Villa, who were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Brentford last Tuesday (1-1, 2-4 on penalties), have managed just one goal all season. 

Unai Emery’s side are now in a precarious position, sitting 18th with three points from three draws. Sunderland, on the other hand, climbed to seventh with eight points.

Sunderland were rocked by Reinildo’s red card for an off-the-ball clash with Cash (34’), but the latter put Villa ahead with a thunderous long-range strike that Dutch keeper Robin Ruiter could only watch fly into his net (67’). 

The hosts responded quickly as Isidor, played in by a clever header from Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, slotted past Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez (75’).

Cash nearly snatched a winner for Villa in stoppage time, but his header from a cross lacked power and was comfortably controlled by Ruiter (90+2’).

Meanwhile, Bournemouth continued their impressive run, holding Newcastle United to a goalless draw at home. The result moved Bournemouth into fourth place with 10 points from three wins, one draw, and one defeat, while Newcastle remain 13th with six points.