Arsenal gives one away to Manchester City

LONDON — Watching an electrifying first half and wowed by Bukayo Saka’s goal, Arsenal fans were euphoric with the display against Manchester City.

For 45 minutes, Arsenal made the runaway Premier League leader look average. Then the second half brought an all-too familiar Arsenal capitulation to hand City a 2-1 win Saturday.

There was a 100th red card for Arsenal in the three decades of the Premier League — more than any other team — when Gabriel was sent off in the 59th minute. It was for a needless second booking for grabbing at Gabriel Jesus near the halfway line. The first yellow card had only been shown two minutes earlier for trying to scuff the penalty spot before Riyad Mahrez leveled.

The penalty had been awarded after Granit Xhaka brought down Bernardo Silva with a trailing leg and a tug at the City midfielder’s shirt.

Frustratingly for the Gunners, they had been denied a first-half penalty before Saka swept in the 31st-minute opener after Martin Odegaard fell when caught by Ederson’s left boot but the goalkeeper did appear to get the ball first.

And even after conceding the penalty in the 57th — which referee Stuart Attwell initially waved off before changing his mind after reviewing replays on a pitchside monitor — the hosts had a chance to retake the lead right away.

City defender Nathan Ake’s hooked, scrambling goal-line clearance prevented an own goal from Aymeric Laporte after he headed over goalkeeper Ederson. The ball fell to Arsenal forward Gabriel

Martinelli who missed an open net and hit the post.

Then Arsenal was reduced to 10 men within a minute and Arsenal’s attempts to cling on to the point were thwarted by Laporte’s deflected shot reaching Rodri to score. As Rodri slid across the field to celebrate, joined by his City teammates, they were pelted with plastic water bottles and toilet rolls.

With an 11th straight win, City moved 11 points in front of Chelsea, which hosts Liverpool on Sunday in a meeting of second and third.

“This period today we were incredibly tired, mentally and physically,“City manager Pep Guardiola said. “Arsenal were better today, but football happens in these situations, sometimes it comes on our side.”

Arsenal — without coronavirus isolating manager Mikel Arteta — saw its grip on fourth place loosened. West Ham went within a point of Arsenal by beating Crystal Palace 3-2. Tottenham is a point further behind after winning 1-0 at Watford but with two games in hand on both Arsenal and West Ham.

“I’m upset that we don’t end up with three points in this game, that is the most frustrating part,” Arsenal assistant manager Albert Stuivenberg said. “At the same time we are very proud about the performance of the players, there are some moments that decided the game.

“The moment with Odegaard, I think it is a clear penalty but at least a moment for the referee to check. It happened in the second half with their penalty which is not really consistent and then of course the sending off was an important moment after that.”