“If he’s back to his best, we can win the league” - Arsenal fans thrilled after watching 23-year-old star pull off surprise performance vs Man City
Arsenal fans on X were left impressed by Gabriel Martinelli's performance in their 2-2 draw against Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday, September 33. Despite being down to 10 men, the Gunners suffered heartbreak as they conceded in the eighth minute of stoppage time in their Premier League clash.
Erling Haaland broke the deadlock in the ninth minute, firing low past David Raya to score his 100th goal for the Cityzens. However, Arsenal responded well 13 minutes later with Martinelli assisting Riccardo Calafiori's stunner from distance.
Gabriel Magalhaes's powerful header in the first minute of stoppage time gave the Gunners the lead. Unfortunately, Leandro Trossard was given a second yellow card just before half-time after he fouled Bernardo Silva and kicked the ball away - reducing Arsenal to 10 men.
Manchester City hunted for an equalizer in the second half. David Raya made some exceptional saves to keep his side in the game but John Stones tapped home in stoppage time to earn City a deserved point.
Fans were pleased with Martinelli's performance as he provided one assist and created two chances. The 23-year-old has been criticized for his poor form this season. He failed to register a single-goal contribution in five games before their clash against Manchester City. It was also his first goal contribution in seven months.
One fan believes Martinelli's return to form could propel the Gunners to Premier League glory as he posted:
"If he's back to his best i believe we can win the league"
Another tweeted:
"An "out of form" Gabriel Martinelli has been Arsenal's biggest threat in the most difficult away game of the season. Imagine my shock."
Other fans also praised Martinelli:
"Martinelli, my guy man," one fan typed
"Gabriel Martinelli. I will never forget this performance," another added
"They need to put some respect on his name," one fan insisted
"If Martinelli has someone to combine with, he'll create, simple as," another chimed in
"Martinelli absolutely giving it," one fan posted
"Martinelli assist we prayed for times like this," another admitted
Manchester City 2-2 Arsenal: How did the two Premier League titans fare against each other?
John Stones scored a last-gasp leveler deep in stoppage time to keep Manchester City's unbeaten run going in the Premier League following their 2-2 draw against Arsenal. The Cityzens remain at the top of the table with 13 points from four games, two points above the fourth-placed Gunners.
Pep Guardiola and Co. took full advantage of having an extra man on the pitch, dominating possession with 78 percent of the ball. They also completed 641 passes with an accuracy of 92 percent. In contrast, Arsenal recorded just 22 percent possession - their second-lowest on record from the 2003-04 season in the league. They also completed just 146 passes with an accuracy of 72 percent.
Manchester City recorded a mammoth total of 33 shots with 11 being on target, generating five big chances in the process (xG of 2.16). Meanwhile, the Gunners mustered five shots in total with three on target, having an xG of 0.65.