SETTABLOID

Former Super Eagles midfielder Sunday Oliseh has praised Arsenal after their enthralling 2-2 draw against Manchester City on Sunday.

Two of the major Premier League contenders－ Manchester City and Arsenal－ faced off at the Etihad Stadium in what was expected to be a tough fixture. Recall that last season, the Gunners pushed City for the league title until the final day of the season.

This season has not changed, as Arsenal and Manchester City have looked like the clear frontrunner for the Premier League title.

In the game on Sunday, Manchester City scored the opener in the 9th minute, but Arsenal equalized through Ricardo Calafiori in the 22nd minute. Then, they took the lead through Gabriel 24 minutes later. Unfortunately for them, Leandro Trossard got sent off just before the break after picking up a second yellow card.

That changed the complexion of the game as Arsenal went ultra-defensive in the second half. The Gunners played with five defenders for the entire second half. Manchester City were overly dominant, with 90% possession, 28 goal attempts, and an xG of 2.04, but they failed to score until the final minute of stoppage time.

Kai Havertz was not shown a straight red card in the opening seconds of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Manchester City as VAR judged the incident to be ‘body to body’ contact, ‘both each running into the other’.

Despite its placement on the top-flight calendar, Man City v Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium – a clash between the top two clubs from each of the prior two Premier League campaigns – is tipped to have a huge say in the next title race. As expected, the match got off to a feisty start.

Within three seconds of the home side’s kick-off, midfielder Rodri was down on the turf clutching his face. Replays showed Arsenal’s Havertz to have bumped into his opponent as he moved off from the halfway line, with Sky Sports co-commentators Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher debating any deliberate intention behind the movement of the German international.

Arsenal defender Ben White played with an injury against Manchester City, Mikel Arteta confirmed after the game.

White dropped to the bench for the trip to the Etihad Stadium with Riccardo Calafiori replacing him. The Italian scored his first goal for the club with a spectacular finish into the top corner.

However, with the Gunners 2-1 up, Leandro Trossard was sent off for two bookable offences, forcing Arteta into a change at half-time. White replaced Bukayo Saka for the second-half but was unable to keep City out as John Stones levelled late on.

After the draw, Arteta confirmed that White came on to help the team despite being injured. “He would run through a brick wall for you,” he told reporters after the game.

We had a very difficult start. We struggled to control certain spaces we didn’t have enough ability to get out of the first 25, 30 meters of the pitch which meant that we never controlled the game. After that we understood what we had to do better and we came back in the game and were winning it. Then when we were at our best moment in the game we were given a context that makes it almost impossible for 56 minutes.

Anyway, we adapted to that context in the best possible way. The way the team competes is unbelievable. I’m so proud of them. You cannot be thrown in a more difficult situation against that kind of opponent. The way we handled that situation was unbelievable. I’m so proud of them.

Arsenal star Riccardo Calafiori appeared to suggest that referee Michael Oliver’s decision to send off Leandro Trossard was unnecessary during Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Manchester City. Trossard, who had already been booked, was shown a second yellow card just before halftime.

According to the Premier League’s match centre, the booking was not for a foul on Bernardo Silva, but for delaying the restart by kicking the ball away.

This marks the second time in three games that Arsenal have had a player sent off for a similar offence. Declan Rice was shown a red card in the draw against Brighton, causing him to miss the North London derby, but he returned for the match against City.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has shared his delight and pride following the Gunners’ 2-2 draw away to Manchester City, despite conceding a devastating late equaliser.

Arsenal found themselves a goal down inside the first 10 minutes after an Erling Haaland goal but a wonder-goal from Riccardo Calafiori midway through the half got the Gunners on level terms, despite huge complaints from Manchester City.

Shortly before half-time, Gabriel Magalhães headed Arsenal into the lead after beating Kyle Walker to the ball with ease, giving the Gunners an invaluable lead.

When is something entirely the same but so, so different? Because Arsenal’s second-half task against Manchester City was equal to their defensive rebellion when the two teams met for a title showdown in March but with much more on the line and much more to lose.

This time, hanging on to three points rather than just one – and with a mental barrier to overcome which had been worked on for years until Mikel Arteta arrived – it somehow felt even bigger than being six weeks away from a title.

Not just setting up to draw the life out of a match and play for a 0-0 draw with the hope of stealing points on the break or via a set-piece – much like the North London derby plans – but with a determined freedom to actually win the thing.

If offered a draw before kick-off, most Arsenal fans would have taken it; at half-time there is not a chance any would even consider it. Agonisingly close to an amazing result but with 10 men, how they defended it was heroic.

Writing lines for full-time is an art which can be both painful, exciting and unpredictable. As Arsenal went in at half-time against Manchester City with a surprise lead but a deficit in terms of the number of players on the field, literally anything was possible for the second half.

One decision made was to bring on Ben White for Bukayo Saka to help cover the loss of Leandro Trossard to a maddening second yellow card. Mikel Arteta is a man who has been judged on the progression of his Arsenal side but criticised for his management of some games such as the home tie with Aston Villa last season which proved pivotal in the title race.

Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw in the most devastating of circumstances at the Etihad Stadium. The game got off to an awful start for the Gunners who were behind when Erling Haaland ran straight through the heart of the defence to poke beyond David Raya. Ilkay Gundogan then struck the post with a free kick and it looked as though Arsenal were in for a long afternoon.

They began to find their feet though and equalised through a stunning strike from the edge of the box by Riccardo Calafiori after a quickly taken free kick. As the first half ticked in to stoppage time, Gabriel then rose highest to score from a Bukayo Saka corner for a second consecutive game.

Riccardo Calafiori scored a wonder-goal to level the game between Arsenal and Manchester City, marking his full debut for the Gunners in sensational style.

The Italian fullback was handed his first Arsenal start after it had been revealed that Ben White had suffered a minor knee issue, causing Jurrien Timber to be moved to play at right-back, while Calafiori started on the opposite side.

Arsenal went behind in the ninth minute, after Erling Haaland broke away from William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães with electrifying speed but, in the 22nd minute, Calafiori drew the Gunners level with a magnificent strike from distance.