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John Stones’ 98th-minute equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for Manchester City against 10-man Arsenal in a bad-tempered clash between the two favourites for the Premier League title on Sunday.
Arsenal played the entire second half a man down after Leandro Trossard was sent off but were seconds away from inflicting City’s first home defeat since November 2022.
A draw is enough for City to retake top spot, two points clear of Arsenal in fourth.
Erling Haaland’s 100th City goal had given Pep Guardiola’s men the perfect start.
Arsenal turned the game around thanks to Riccardo Calafiori’s wonder strike and another set-piece header from Gabriel Magalhaes.
The Gunners lost Trossard for a second booking just before half-time.
However, Mikel Arteta’s men produced a stunning rearguard action to hold out until the final seconds when Stones bundled in after Arsenal failed to clear a corner.
The powder keg for an explosive encounter was lit within the first few seconds when Kai Havertz charged into Rodri to leave the Spaniard needing treatment.
Guardiola said City had been handed an advantage by having an extra day’s rest and not travelling for their Champions League draw with Inter Milan on Wednesday.
Arsenal, by contrast, were in Italy on Thursday for their 0-0 stalemate against Atalanta.
Guardiola’s men got away with a warning when Gabriel headed over his first big opportunity from a Bukayo Saka corner.
The Arsenal centre-back was not so forgiving with his second chance as he shrugged off Kyle Walker to nod in another inviting delivery form Saka.
Yet there was another huge momentum swing just before half-time when Trossard saw red.
The Belgian was shown a second yellow for kicking the ball away after committing a foul.
Arsenal dropped two points in a 1-1 draw with Brighton after Declan Rice did likewise just three weeks ago and they suffered a similar fate in heartbreaking fashion.
Arteta responded by introducing an extra defender in Ben White for Saka as the visitors set up camp in their own box to repel wave upon wave of City attack.
Raya was called upon to save a powerful downward header by Haaland.
But Arsenal largely restricted City to potshots from distance by their centre-backs as Raya denied twice denied Josko Gvardiol.
It was another City defender who finally got what could be a defining goal in the title race come May.
Stones swept home the loose ball from Jack Grealish’s cross to extend City’s near two-year invincible streak on home soil.
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