Mikel Arteta secured his inaugural managerial triumph over Manchester City in the Premier League as Gabriel Martinelli’s late goal propelled Arsenal to a 1-0 victory, marking City’s first consecutive league defeats since December 2018.
Initially, Guardiola’s team dominated at the Emirates Stadium, with Joško Gvardiol’s attempt cleared by Declan Rice and Nathan Aké shooting over before Arsenal found their footing. Despite Arsenal’s determination to break a streak of 12 Premier League head-to-head defeats, there was an early unease illustrated by David Raya’s fortuitous escape when Julián Álvarez blocked his clearance, causing the ball to hit the side netting.
Eddie Nketiah’s inward cut and wide curling effort signaled Arsenal’s resilience as the half progressed. The home crowd expressed frustration over Mateo Kovačić’s presence on the field after tackles on Martin Ødegaard and Declan Rice, resulting in a yellow card for the former. Although Gvardiol nearly created a goal towards the end of the half with a cross that narrowly missed Erling Haaland, Arsenal held their ground.
Bukayo Saka was absent from the Arsenal squad, but Martinelli, returning from the bench at half-time, injected immediate energy. After running past Dias and testing Ederson with a strike, the match quietened down, prompting both managers to make triple changes in quick succession in pursuit of a decisive advantage.
Arsenal capitalized on the situation, as Martinelli’s shot deflected off Aké, confusing Ederson and finding the back of the net, securing a significant victory. Arsenal’s unbeaten start in the Premier League continued, tying with North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at 20 points, albeit trailing on goal difference. Meanwhile, Manchester City experienced back-to-back away league defeats for the first time since February, and they were beaten in a league match by Arsenal for the first time since December 2015.