Twitter erupts as Manchester City score stoppage time winner to beat 10-man Arsenal
Arsenal and Manchester City were involved in an entertaining affair at the Emirates Stadium which ended in 2-1 in favor of the defending champions. Spanish midfielder Rodri scored an injury-time winner to secure all three points for the Cityzens.
Arsenal took a well-deserved lead in the first half through Bukayo Saka. The 20-year-old attacker put the ball into the back of the net after getting to the end of a low cross from left-back Kieran Tierney.
However, Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka brought down Bernado Silva in the box, giving Manchester City a penalty at the 54th-minute mark. Riyad Mahrez duly converted from the spot to level the game at 1-1. Things went from bad to worse for Mikel Arteta's side after defender Gabriel Magalhaes was sent off after a foul on Gabriel Jesus.
The Gunners tried their best to keep out Manchester City's attack but eventually fell short in stoppage-time, as Rodri tucked the ball home from close range following a tame shot from Laporte.
Football fans took to Twitter to have their say following a controversial game at the Emirates Stadium. A host of Arsenal fans were not happy with various refereeing decisions made in the game. Here are some of the best tweets:
FULL TIME | Starting 2022 with a win! 🙌
What a game! 😅
🔴 1-2 🔵 #ManCity https://t.co/LeE8chHOcz
VAR will not work properly in @premierleague until the quality of the officials is improved. Inconsistency over the 2 #ARSMCI penalties, both were pens, only 1 given. Frustrates fans, players. Ruins game. Some good refs but overall quality not good enough for an elite competition
Incredible. Gabriel & Xhaka individual stupidity has undone a perfect Arteta game-plan which would’ve blown open the title race 😂
'2-1 to the referee' sing the Arsenal supporters #AFC
That’s never a pen. Terrible decision.
And that’s not a penalty by Ederson preventing Odegaard controlling the ball.
One rule for City. One rule for any other team. https://t.co/3QKQYoo6XJ
The irony of how confusing of the ‘clear and obvious’ element of VAR.
The games too subjective
Pep Guardiola’s Man City have now won 11 Premier League matches in a row. 😅
🔘 11 Games
✅ 11 Wins
◻️ 6 Clean Sheets
⚽️ 33 Goals
❌ 7 Conceded
Champions Form. 🔥 https://t.co/KPpk4Pgqwb
100 - Arsenal have become the first side in Premier League history to receive 100 red cards, with the Gunners having 11 players sent off under Mikel Arteta in the competition, also more than any other side since his first game in charge. Problematic. https://t.co/pVR7LblUC1
Conceded a penalty, missed an open goal, received a red card. All of that in 2 minutes.
Never Change Arsenal 🤣🤣 https://t.co/5L1AK4exgw
Quite a ridiculous series of events. Xhaka VAR overturned when Odegaard wasn't, Martinelli misses an open goal because the ref is in the way, then Gabriel sent off for two nothing yellows.
Just a surreal series of events. What a weird game football can be.
People debating the pen. Absolute stonewaller. Had half his shirt in his hand.
What a game. Arsenal absolutely brilliant, but then their own worst enemies. Arteta must be livid in his living room…
I have been away for 5 months and one thing remains the same, English officials are not fit to run the game!!
New year, same old Arsenal
The referee should be proud of himself. #ARSMCI
City’s latest signing already made a huge i impact today #ARSMCI https://t.co/guHVWkucYA
How does the best league in the world have the worst standard of refereeing? #PremierLeague #ARSMCI
All the money City have spent and Pep is regarded as a footballing genius. Don’t look remotely threatening against 10 men #ARSMCI
92' | Rodri scores. It's 2-1 to Man City. How has this happened? 😭
#AFC #ARSMCI
Thomas Partey’s first half heatmap 🔥
#ARSMCI https://t.co/Y6myAaZRpP
Man City's new kits looking fresh 🔥
#ARSMCI https://t.co/NjZ2txYWXq
Guess which team will be the first to lose in 2022. 😭😭. You can’t make this up. 😂😂😂#ARSMCI https://t.co/u07u7qJ3nW
I don’t really like arsenal that much but they’ve been absolutely robbed today. The standard of refereeing embarrassing the premier league yet again #ARSMCI
Title race over? 🤷♂️ https://t.co/9FXpFg75ZP
Manchester City have a strong hold on the Premier League title after beating Arsenal
Manchester City have notched up 11 successive wins in the Premier League and have a comfortable lead at the top of the table. Following their win over Arsenal, the Cityzens have an 11 point lead over second-placed Chelsea, having played one more game. Manchester City are currently 12 points ahead of third-placed Liverpool. However, the Reds have played two games less.
Both Chelsea and Liverpool have dropped points in their recent games. The Reds suffered a 1-0 defeat to Leicester City while Chelsea drew 1-1 against Brighton & Hove Albion.
As things stand, Pep Guardiola's side have a stronghold on the Premier League as they look to defend their title. It is worth noting that Manchester City host Chelsea next in the Premier League on the 15th of January.
Arsenal, on the other hand, are sitting vulnerable in fourth position. The Gunners have picked up 35 points from 20 matches and could see both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur overtake them in the coming weeks.
Tottenham are currently five points behind with three games in hand while Manchester United are four points behind with two games in hand. As for Liverpool and Chelsea, the two sides will lock horns at Stamford Bridge tomorrow in what could go down as an important game in the title race.
Man City snatch victory in the final moments thanks to Rodri's late finish
#ARSMCI https://t.co/hcjqf64i7B