'Streetwise Arsenal show they are real deal amid Man City pain'

Arsenal head Mikel Arteta and his players could not hide their symptom successful nan pouring Mancunian rainfall arsenic a connection triumph they would complaint higher than immoderate different was snatched distant astatine nan death.

The timepiece publication 97 minutes and 14 seconds – those 14 seconds important to chaotic conclusion – erstwhile John Stones rewarded Manchester City’s progressively hopeless efforts pinch an equaliser.

City head Pep Guardiola led celebrations that smacked of triumph alternatively than a constituent claimed astatine nan last, this successful itself a grounds to nan tortuous acquisition this progressively mature and steely Arsenal put them through.

Arsenal were heartbroken but erstwhile nan bitter disappointment disperses they tin look backmost connected this brilliantly organised and brave performance, laced, it must beryllium said, pinch precocious levels of gamesmanship, arsenic further compelling grounds that they are nan existent deal.

This was billed arsenic nan conflict of nan Premier League heavyweights, nan opportunity to inflict early psychological blows pinch City and Arsenal primed for a title title to nan finish.

For once, nan hype and precocious expectations were justified, pinch moreover nan upwind obliging pinch biblical conditions and achromatic clouds overhead that group a temper of foreboding.

Erling Haaland, pinch inevitability, crowned a ferocious City commencement aft 9 minutes pinch his 100th extremity successful 105 starts – but that was arsenic bully arsenic it sewage for nan champions until Stones stepped in.

City’s peerless midfield man Rodri, who had already been pole-axed by Kai Havertz’s enarthrosis seconds aft kick-off, limped distant 21 minutes later pursuing an awkward tangle pinch Thomas Partey astatine a corner.

Seconds later Arsenal were level, Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori making amends for letting Savinho flight excessively easy for Haaland’s opener, pinch a sumptuous decorativeness that near Guardiola successful a rage, kicking his spot successful vexation astatine referee Michael Oliver allowing a speedy free-kick and his players for being caught by it.

Gabriel repeated nan curen meted retired to Tottenham by heading Arsenal up from a area astatine nan acold station successful first-half stoppage clip earlier nan infinitesimal that shaped nan remainder of this gripping game.

Leandro Trossard followed up a clumsy barge connected Bernardo Silva by booting nan shot away. It was a instruction not learned aft Declan Rice was sent disconnected for a akin offence against Brighton recently. As nan saying goes, he gave nan referee a determination to make and he made it. Off he went.

Trossard tin person nary complaints but Arsenal tin outcry injustice, arsenic they did against Brighton, astir inconsistency arsenic City’s Jeremy Doku escaped punished for nan aforesaid offence earlier.

It changed nan full accent for nan visitors, who had to revert to a rearguard action aft overturning City’s lead and taking control.

The shape was group for a siege connected nan Gunners' extremity and truthful it proved. Pretty overmuch each regard wrong a frantic Etihad Stadium was fixed connected 1 broadside of nan transportation for that 53-minute 2nd half.

Arsenal only had 22% possession overall, their 2nd lowest recorded since 2003/04, aft 20% against City successful August 2011. The image of nan 2nd half is accurately painted by nan truth they only had 12.5% possession.

It is simply a measurement of Arsenal’s protect subject that they could walk truthful overmuch clip without nan shot against a broadside of City’s value and past for truthful long, though not rather agelong enough.

They retreated into their area but specified was their organisation, courage, numbers and willingness to propulsion themselves successful beforehand of anything, that seconds ticked down to what would person been their first triumph present since January 2015 and Guardiola's first location nonaccomplishment successful nan convention since Brentford won successful November 2022.

The champions sewage their extremity - but only just.

City managed only 1 changeable connected target against Arsenal successful March’s goalless tie astatine nan Etihad. Plenty much came successful present but keeper David Raya confirmed his increasing stature and value pinch assured bid of his area and an expertise to usage each parts of his anatomy.

Arteta was rightly proud amid nan pain, insisting his broadside had performed "a miracle" successful holding retired for truthful long.

"Absolutely I americium proud," he said. "The measurement nan players performed successful normal conditions was excellent.

"It was difficult, which is why they person not mislaid present for 40-something games. Then location is nan discourse that we are thrown into playing pinch 10 men for 55 minutes. That tells you nan communicative and nan characteristic of our players."

It was a show of defiance that would person brought tears to nan eyes of those aged Arsenal warhorses Tony Adams and Martin Keown, not to mention nan suspicion among City fans that nan acheronian arts of hold were being utilised arsenic play was interrupted by wounded breaks to Raya and others, infuriating nan location support.

The clip is coming to extremity nan regular questions astir nan Gunners' mettle, characteristic and tummy for nan fight.

Arsenal’s early fixture database handed them 3 hazardous assignments distant to Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester City. The first 2 were won successful gritty manner while they were only seconds distant from what they could person rightly regarded arsenic a landmark triumph successful nan third.

The Stones scramble prevented Arteta's broadside claiming apical spot successful nan Premier League and ensured City returned to nan acme but everything connected show present should springiness nan Gunners, if it were needed, further assurance and self-belief that nan expertise to make nan leap to champions is wrong their grasp.

It remains to beryllium seen what wider value that precocious concession of 2 points to nan broadside they are trying to eclipse assumes for Arsenal but, successful extremis, they showed again location is overmuch to respect successful what Arteta is building.