Man City 2-2 Arsenal: Player ratings as champions escape with a point against 10-man Gunners
Man City and Arsenal played out a 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium
Gunners led for most of the second half, despite having a player sent off
John Stones eventually grabbed an equaliser deep in stoppage time

Manchester City snatched a 98th minute equaliser to deny Arsenal a first win at the Etihad Stadium since January 2015 and remain at the top of the Premier League table.

It was a monumental effort from the Gunners, who played the whole second half with ten players after Leandro Trossard was sent off just before the interval.

Erling Haaland’s landmark 100th goal for Manchester City opened the scoring and looked like it would see the hosts maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign. But Arsenal struck back, first with a stunner from Riccardo Calafiori and then a bullet Gabriel header for the second game running.

Arsenal had their backs to the wall following Trossard’s avoidable dismissal, but just as it looked as though City had run out of ideas, John Stones wrote the headlines that could prove key come May.

How the game unfolded

It was the most anti-climactic start imaginable to a big game, with a bullish body to body clash between Kai Havertz and Rodri inside the opening ten seconds leaving the latter on the ground receiving treatment for well over a minute as the clock ticked on.

The first chance went the way of the hosts as Ilkay Gundogan lashed wide a volley after a majestic touch created the opening – the finish was arguably the harder skill. But Haaland's opener wasn't far behind, threaded through by Savinho's quick turn and pass. Bearing down on the goal, there was only ever going to be one outcome from the flying Norwegian.

City’s start was blistering and Gundogan soon struck the post with a clever free-kick. Things might have been very different had that strike nestled in the net instead.

While Calafiori didn't cover himself in glory for City's opener, the Italian made up for it in spectacular fashion when he fired Arsenal level, seemingly out of nowhere from the edge of the box. City were angry, though, because referee Michael Oliver beckoned Kyle Walker over just before an Arsenal free-kick and allowed the set-piece to be taken before the defender was back in position.

Gabriel, another who had been poor for Haaland’s goal, should have scored shortly before he did. Both attempts in the closing stages of the half were very similar, getting a run on the ball at a corner. The first flew narrowly over, the next hit the back of the net. Yet the game then quickly turned again when Trossard was shown a second yellow, not clear if it was a consequence for his barge in the back of Bernardo Silva, or half heartedly kicking the ball away afterwards.

A man down invited pressure for Arsenal, but the visitors did a great job of repelling it, limiting City only to shots from distance in the early stages of the second half. But David Raya soon had to channel the spirit of Gordon Banks from the 1970 World Cup, scooping away Haaland’s Pele-esque downward header. The Spaniard then got his legs in the way of one from Josko Gvardiol as the intensity built and built.

Soaking up the pressure, Arsenal were increasingly happy for Walker, Gvardiol and Ruben Dias to have the ball around the edge of their box – over the likes of Gundogan or Silva. City were still mostly limited to shots from distance that were either blocked or never troubled Raya.

With moments left, it looked like City's time had come when the ball dropped invitingly to Gvardiol. But the well struck volley was met by Raya’s outstretched arms.

The seven minutes of added time indicated had elapsed when word came from the VAR that the game would continue until 99. And it was in the those extra moments when Stones made himself the City hero, capitalising on a rebound that fell at his feet. This time there was nothing that Raya, on the floor having dived for the initial shot, could do to stop it.