Manchester City Draw 10-Man Arsenal With Late Goal

Arsenal, reduced to 10 men for just over half the game, thought they had secured a famous victory against 4-time defending Premier League champions Manchester City. But the defending champions had other ideas, and scored a late equalizer.

Arsenal had gone down to 10 men just before halftime, after a questionable second yellow card to forward Leandro Trossard.Erling Halaand opened the scoring for City in the 9th minute off a nice passing sequence from the Premier League champions.

But Arsenal equalized 13 minutes later, off an excellent Riccardo Calafiori strike from just inside the penalty box.There was controversy over that goal though, as Arsenal restarted play about 8 yards ahead of where their player had been fouled.

Arsenal defender Gabriel put the visitors ahead in the first minute of added time, heading in from a corner kick. City goalkeeper Ederson appeared to have been partially impeded, but it would have been extremely harsh to take the goal off.

Maybe the fact that two decisions had gone City way impacted referee Michael Oliver. Because the second yellow he gave to Leandro Trossard was harsh, to say the least. The Belgian may have committed a foul, but it was hardly a second yellow. It was later announced that Trossard’s second yellow was not for the foul, but for kicking the ball away after.

As a result, Manchester City, who already had the lion’s share of possession, utterly dominated the second half. Up a goal, down a man, on the road, against the Premier League’s best team, there was little Arsenal could do but defend.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya had to make multiple good saves, on shots from Erling Harland and Josko Gvardiol, among others. Arsenal spent almost the entire second half with all 11 players not far out from their penalty box.

They were almost able to hold out until the end. But John Stones scored a scrappy equalizing goal, off a rebound from another David Raya save. While a good result, this draw must feel like a loss for Arsenal.

With this draw, Manchester City go top of the Premier League. Will Manchester City win a record extending 5th straight Premier League title? We won’t know for a long time.