‘Very disappointed’ Mikel Arteta laments ‘unfair’ goal as Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City were ‘tired’ against Arsenal
Gabriel Martinelli‘s injury-time equaliser against Manchester City earned Arsenal a point against the eight-time Premier League champions, but Mikel Arteta and Declan Rice were disappointed to not get more in a game they believed they “dominated”. City enjoyed just 32.8% possession but took the lead through Erling Haaland before Martinelli’s moment of magic ensured the points were shared.
Mikel Arteta said he was “very disappointed” that Arsenal only took a point against Manchester City and asserted the Gunners “dominated” the eight-time Premier League champions.
Arsenal restricted their opponents to just 32.8% possession, the lowest ever by a Pep Guardiola team in a top-flight match, but were on course for defeat until stoppage time, when Gabriel Martinelli produced a superb finish to cancel out Erling Haaland’s ninth-minute opener.
The result sees Arteta continue his impressive record against his former boss Guardiola but means Arsenal drop to five points behind leaders Liverpool while Manchester City sit ninth, three points further back.
“I am very proud of the team…the way we played, we dominated them, and I am very disappointed with the result,” Arteta told Sky Sports.
“We started incredibly well, so dominant again, we were playing in their half and did not allow them to breathe, but in one action it is very chaotic because the ball bounces, there is a duel there, we lose it and suddenly find themselves in the spaces, and they are lethal there and they finish with the quality they have.
“After that we had five shaky minutes and we had to reset mentally because it was so unfair to concede that goal with what we were doing, then after that we just completely dominated the game again.”
Rice: Arsenal have gained respect
In an extremely out-of-character tactical change, Guardiola finished the game in a 5-4-1 formation with centre-backs Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake and John Stones on the field after substituting all three of his forwards.
Manchester City did effectively restrict Arsenal as the hosts only managed 12 shots, three of them on target, and it took a moment of magic from Eberechi Eze and then Martinelli to eventually beat Gianluigi Donnarumma.
But the significance of Guardiola’s tactical switch was not lost on Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice.
“I think we have obviously gained the respect of the opposition, the quality we have from back to front, I think in my time here at Arsenal we probably have not dominated a game like that against Man City as we did today,” Rice told Sky Sports.
“I thought in the first half we passed and moved really well and the same second half, but it was always that threat from them of the counter-attack. I think in the end we thoroughly deserved a goal.
“If we had come away losing we would have been really disappointed so I think in the end a point’s probably fair but we want to win that one.”
Guardiola: ‘We are incredibly tired’
Despite premature exits from the League Cup and UEFA Champions League last season, Manchester City’s club participation in the FIFA Club World Cup meant they played 61 games in 2024/25 and they only played one official pre-season game before their Premier League opener against Wolves this campaign, a 3-0 win over Palermo.
While Arsenal visited Bilbao on Tuesday, the trip to the Emirates Stadium was the Cityzens’ first away game of September after hosting Napoli and Manchester United. But seven days after Manchester great Ricky Hatton died, Guardiola insisted his squad is feeling the strain.
“We were incredibly tired,” Guardiola told Sky Sports.
“The game against Napoli was so emotional and after that recovery day we have four or five hours to travel to London. Arsenal fought in the last two Premier League title races and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League so it is so difficult.
“We had a lot of fatigue with many players. We also have a lot of injuries.”
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