Arsenal snatches 1-1 draw with defensive Man City with Martinelli’s stoppage-time goal

By Canadian Press on September 21, 2025.

Arsenal equalized in the third minute of stoppage time through Gabriel Martinelli to snatch a 1-1 draw with Manchester City, whose rare ultra-defensive performance under Pep Guardiola narrowly failed to deliver a win in the Premier League on Sunday.

Erling Haaland scored a ninth-minute goal on the counterattack and City went on to frustrate Arsenal with a defensive master class that was so unlike a team coached by Guardiola, who is famed for cherishing possession

There was a late twist for Guardiola, however, when Eberechi Eze played a ball over City’s packed defense and Martinelli latched onto it before lobbing goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

It left Liverpool, the defending champion, with a five-point lead after just five games, with Arsenal in second place on goal difference over Tottenham and Bournemouth.

City is already eight points off the pace.

Drought over

Aston Villa ended its goal drought but still couldn’t beat 10-man Sunderland in a 1-1 draw.

Matty Cash blasted a swerving shot from 25 meters that Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs could only parry into his own net in the 67th, giving Villa its first goal after five games in the league.

However, Sunderland — playing with 10 men from the 33rd minute after Reinildo’s red card for kicking out at Cash — equalized in the 75th through Wilson Isidor to leave Villa without a victory and in third-to-last place.

Newcastle held

Newcastle rotated its team after a Champions League loss to Barcelona on Thursday and struggled to create many clear-cut chances in a 0-0 draw at Bournemouth.

It meant Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, who used to coach Bournemouth, has now not beaten his former side in seven attempts.

Bournemouth was seeking a fourth straight win after an opening-round loss at Liverpool and was unable to take advantage of Newcastle making seven changes to the team which was defeated 2-1 by Barcelona.

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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Steve Douglas, The Associated Press