Gabi rescue mission sees Arsenal thwart Pep's defensive Manchester City

Sunday showdown at the Emirates : Picture by @YTJourno

Premier League

Arsenal (0) 1 Martinelli 90+3

Manchester City (1) 1 Haaland 9

It is only a point, but as the famous supermarket ad says: Every little helps.

On 606 post match, the arch bore Robbie Savage was happily writing off Arsenal's title chances - we are five games into the new season - because 'you have to win your home games if you are going to be a serious title challenger.' But sometimes a salvage operation can prove to be galvanising.

Gabi Martinelli capped a brilliant personal week by coming off the bench to reach a superb floated pass from Eberechi Eze and connect with a deft lob that sailed over the giant Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the net.

It cancelled out a ninth minute breakaway strike from the irrepressible Erling Haaland and scuppered Pep Guardiola's plan to frustrate and hold on to that slender advantage for the remainder of the match.

Having seen his side eviscerated 5-1 here last season, the Spaniard's caution may have been understandable, but it was disappointing to see, nonetheless.

The fact Mikel Arteta made a double substitution at the interval suggested he recognised his team had been too conservative at the outset, although the Gunners boss later said Noni Madueke - their best player in the opening half - had to be withdrawn because he was carrying a slight knock. But the arrival of Bukayo Saka and Eze definitely improved the hosts' prospects.

Eze - on for Mikel Merino at the break - perhaps should have started and it was his brilliant chip forward that paved the way for the equaliser and he also tested the City keeper with a stinging half-volley.

Martinelli only came on with 10 minutes remaining but he too might have been worth more minutes. He scored a great goal in the midweek win in Bilbao and was clearly in form and in the mood.

The accusation will be that, as at Liverpool the other day, an overly cautious approach denied the Gunners a shot at a vital win. Maybe Artera needs to gamble more. Only time will tell.

The glass half full then. Selection controversies there may have been but having the fight to rescue a losing cause can never be a bad thing.

Gunners: (4-3-3) Raya - Timber (Martinelli 80), Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori - Merino (Eze h/t), Zubimendi (Mosquera 98), Rice - Madueke (Saka h/t), Gyokeres, Trossard (Nwaneri 84)

City: (4-1-4-1) Donnarumma - Khusanov (Nunes h/t), Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly (Stones 87) - Rodri - Foden (Ake 68), Silva, Reijnders, Doku (Savinho 87)- Haaland (Gonzalez 87)

Attendance: 60,161