John Stones’ late goal salvages a point as Manchester City deny Arsenal a win

English Premier League Manchester City vs Arsenal match report: Substitute John Stones scored a 98th minute equaliser as Manchester City rescued a 2-2 draw against 10-man Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, preserving their unbeaten home Premier League run to a remarkable 33 matches.

In the super Sunday clash at Manchester City, the home side made several changes in the starting line up with Jack Grealish, Mateo Kovačić, John Stones, Rico Lewis and Phil Foden, all relegated to the bench while playmaker Kevin De Bruyne was not available due to injury.

Spanish midfielder Rodri got his first premier league start of this season with a bunch of attacking players like Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva, Savinho and the goal poacher Erling Haaland, all deployed in the first eleven.

Meanwhile, visitors Arsenal made a surprising change in the defence by dropping right back Ben White and giving new signing Ricardo Calafiori his first start in the left back with Jurien Timber switched from left to right. Declan Rice, who missed last weekend’s north London derby due to suspension, was brought back in his usual central midfield position to replace Jorginho.

The most pivotal fixture of present day top flight English football got off to an electrifying start when Manchester City went ahead in the 9^th minute. Right winger Savinho’s perfectly executed defence splitting through ball from the centre found Haaland whose first touch was enough to break the deadlock to score his 100^th goal for the club.

Manchester City could have doubled the lead in the very next minute when Ilkay Gundogan’s free kick was denied by the post. A big blow to City came in the 21^st minute when Rodri was forced to be substituted after sustaining an injury in his right leg.

Following his substitution, Arsenal almost immediately hit back after a quickly taken free kick by Thomas Partey found unmarked Gabriel Martinelli in the left flank who laid it back to Riccardo Calafiori and the Italian levelled things up with a stunning left-foot curler which drifted away from Ederson’s reach.

Then in the first half stoppage time, the home crowd was stunned when Arsenal took the lead when Gabriel stormed past his marker Kyle Walker to meet and nod in Bukayo Saka’s deep corner from point-blank range. However, Arsenal’s spirits were dampened significantly on the stroke of half time when Leandro Trossard got his marching orders from referee Michael Oliver when the Belgian was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away. And the upcoming second half was quite predictable.

Bukayo Saka was withdrawn to make a place for Ben White from the beginning of the second half that looked like a forceful tactical change by Mikel Arteta.

The entire second half was a contrasting display of possession based attacking football from Manchester City and a combination of resolute defending with a handful of heroic saves from David Raya. Raya’s counterpart Ederson was a mere spectator throughout the second half as the ball hardly crossed the halfway line. It was looking like the gunners will somehow hold on to break City’s long standing unbeaten home run but substitute Stones pounced on the rebound from a Mateo Kovačić shot and salvaged a draw in dramatic circumstances at the death.

Although it was a heartbreak for the visiting supporters at the dying moments, yet it was a display of praiseworthy defensive masterclass that will be remembered and mentioned for a very long time in the history of world football.

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