Arsenal 1-2 Man City: Rodri downs 10-man Gunners late on
SMA NEWS – LONDON
Man City midfielder Rodri struck late on as he scored a stoppage time winner for his side against Arsenal on New Year’s Day.
Arsenal were the better side until Man City were awarded a penalty with just over half an hour to go. Riyad Mahrez converted after Bukayo Saka fired the hosts ahead.
Rodri netted a late winner against the Gunners, who had Gabriel sent off. The defender received two bookings in two minutes in the second half.
Arsenal have a recent woeful record against City, having taken just one point from their previous 11 meetings between the sides heading into the first Premier League fixture of 2022.
But, even with manager Mikel Arteta watching on from home having tested positive for Covid, the Gunners were the better side until they imploded in a bizarre three-minute spell.
In recent years Arsenal have been behind the eight-ball within the opening minutes against City, here they were competing and wanted a penalty as Ederson challenged Martin Odegaard, with a VAR check backing referee Stuart Atwell’s decision not to point to the spot.
City then passed up a great chance to open the scoring as Ruben Dias could only glance a header wide from a Raheem Sterling cross.
It was the hosts, though, who were on the front foot and thoroughly deserved the lead given to them just after the half-hour, Saka sweeping home a Kieran Tierney pass to break the deadlock – Arsenal’s first league goal against City in over nine hours of football.
Gabriel Martinelli would bend an effort just wide as Arsenal looked to increase their advantage towards the end of a first-half they dominated.
There was no immediate reaction to a pedestrian opening 45 minutes for the league leaders – at least until Arsenal proved to be architects of their own downfall.
Having turned down Arsenal’s shouts for a penalty, Atwell incensed the home fans by pointing to the spot after looking at his pitchside VAR monitor and adjudging Granit Xhaka had fouled Bernardo Silva.
Gabriel caused a melee before the penalty, picking up a caution for scuffing the spot, although Mahrez finished coolly to level with City’s first shot on target.
With six minutes of injury time ticking away, Kevin De Bruyne crossed into the box and Laporte’s effort was blocked into the path of Rodri, who tucked in the winner from seven yards.
