European football roundup: Arsenal end Man City curse, Barcelona held by Granada in Spain

Arsenal ended their eight-year wait for a Premier League win over Manchester City as Gabriel Martinelli’s late strike sealed a dramatic 1-0 victory before the champions lost their cool in an ugly spat following Sunday’s damaging loss. After 12 successive league defeats at the hands of Pep Guardiola’s men, the Gunners enjoyed a moment of sweet redemption at the Emirates Stadium. With just four minutes left, Martinelli’s shot took a hefty deflection off City defender Nathan Ake, sparking wild celebrations as Arsenal clinched a top-flight success against the treble winners for the first time since December 2015. Tempers flared after the final whistle as City stars Erling Haaland and Kyle Walker argued with members of Arsenal’s backroom and security staff as they walked towards the tunnel. There appeared to be pushing between Haaland and Arsenal set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, but Guardiola said: “I know what happened and I don’t want to say anything”, while Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta refused to shed light on the incident. Arsenal had beaten City on penalties in the Community Shield in August, but that victory in the curtain-raiser to the domestic season could not be taken as seriously as this potentially crucial result. It lifted unbeaten Arsenal two points above third-placed City into second place, leaving them behind leaders Tottenham on goals scored.

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— مشاري (@msry8918491) October 8, 2023

“So proud. It was the moment with the right people and the right players. We knew we would have to suffer and we did that. You need a big performance and the crowd too. It feels like a big win,” Arteta said. “We were there and really aggressive. The quality we produced in the goal was top.” For the first time since December 2018, City have lost successive league games following their 2-1 defeat at Wolves last weekend. Add in a League Cup loss against Newcastle and City have been beaten in three of their last four games. It is a rare sign of vulnerability from a team who started their bid for a fourth successive title by winning the first six games of the season. “We started really well with two or three chances. But they started the second half with rhythm. Then it was tight and they got a deflection goal. They won, congratulations to them,” Guardiola said. “Maybe it is a little bit better to be behind and see what we have to do to catch them.” Arteta masterstroke City nearly took the lead inside five minutes when Josko Gvardiol’s lunging effort was headed off the line by Declan Rice after Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya misjudged a cross. With Arsenal failing to clear the danger after that narrow escape, City’s Nathan Ake should scored from close range, but the defender wastefully fired over. For the second time in the opening 20 minutes, Raya almost gifted City a goal as he took too long to deal with Gabriel’s back-pass, allowing Julian Alvarez to close the ‘keeper down and deflect his panicked clearance inches wide. Crunching through the back of Martin Odegaard’s ankle, City midfielder Mateo Kovacic earned a booking after a VAR check for a potential red card. If Arteta felt aggrieved that Kovacic wasn’t sent off for that challenge, the Gunners boss was apoplectic moments later after the Croatian avoided a second yellow card after chopping down Rice. Following their tepid first half, Arsenal were the more forceful side after the break. Frustrated by City’s disjointed display, Guardiola sent on John Stones, Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes, but the changes failed to produce the desired impact. But Arteta countered by introducing Thomas Partey and Kai Havertz in a move that proved a masterstroke. City looked content for a point as the half wore on with few chances, but Arsenal kept pressing and finally made the breakthrough in the 86th minute. Partey’s long pass reached Havertz and he laid the ball off to Martinelli on the edge of the area, where the Brazilian smashed a fierce strike that took a wicked deflection off Ake as it flashed past the wrong-footed Ederson. LaLiga: Barcelona lose ground despite Granada comeback, Atletico Madrid beat Real Sociedad [caption id=“attachment_13221392” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Barcelona came from two goals down to draw with Granada in LaLiga. AP[/caption] Barcelona came back from two goals down to share a thrilling 2-2 draw with Granada but lost ground in the La Liga title race on Sunday. Bryan Zaragoza sent the hosts two goals ahead but Lamine Yamal and Sergi Roberto’s goals preserved the champions’ record as the only unbeaten team in La Liga. However the Catalans are now third and sit three points behind leaders Real Madrid, and one behind neighbours Girona, who both won on Saturday. Antoine Griezmann converted a late penalty to snatch fourth-place Atletico Madrid a controversial late 2-1 win over Real Sociedad before Barcelona’s draw. Zaragoza struck twice in the first half, breaking the deadlock after only 17 seconds – the fastest goal Barcelona have conceded in the 21st century. Yamal pulled Barcelona back into the game just before half-time, becoming La Liga’s youngest ever goalscorer in the process at 16 years and 87 days. Xavi Hernandez’s side levelled with three minutes remaining when substitute Sergi Roberto turned home, but they could not find a late winner in a high-octane finale. It was the third comeback they have made in recent weeks, beating Celta Vigo from two goals down and twice falling behind at Mallorca in another 2-2 draw. “I think we totally dominated, we created chances, we deserved more, but (we drew) because of our own mistakes, we can’t start off in that way,” Xavi told DAZN. “We take away a point, which for us, is not enough.” Barcelona’s night was also marred by a knee injury to Jules Kounde, with the Catalans already tending to Robert Lewandowski, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Raphinha in the treatment room. After Gavi lost the ball turning into trouble Lucas Boye fed Zaragoza, who fired across Marc-Andre ter Stegen to open the scoring inside the first minute. Zaragoza then doubled the hosts’ lead at the Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium with a brilliant individual goal, leaving Kounde wobbling before finishing sublimely with the outside of his boot into the top corner. “Bryan is like a bullet … not easy to stop when he’s sprinting,” admitted Xavi. Record breaker

1 - @FCBarcelona 🔵🔴 player Lamine Yamal has become the youngest player to score in a @LaLiga match in the history of the competition at 16 years and 87 days, surpassing Fabrice Olinga (16a 98d). Historic. pic.twitter.com/9BWsda45Zc

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 8, 2023

Barcelona found a route back into the match in first-half stoppage time when Felix prodded the ball into Yamal’s path just a couple of yards out and he rolled home to break yet another record. “In that moment I was thinking more about the comeback than the goal and the record, but I’m very happy,” said Yamal. The visitors sought the equaliser and eventually it came through Sergi Roberto, who turned home Alejandro Balde’s low cross in the final stages. Zaragoza almost claimed his hat-trick but crashed a shot off the post as the game flew end-to-end. Felix headed in what he thought was the winner and Xavi leapt for joy on the touchline, but Ferran Torres, who did not touch the ball yet was ruled to be interfering with play, was offside. “Just as easily as they ruled it out they could have given it… Ferran is not interfering with anyone,” said Xavi. Granada coach Paco Lopez said he was proud of his team and that he hoped 22-year-old winger Zaragoza would keep his feet on the ground. “I congratulate my team and my players, I can’t ask for more from them,” Lopez told DAZN. The draw keeps Granada 19th, two points from safety. Handball controversies

Hemos llegado a tal punto de que una mano clara es objeto de polémica.

Molestamos y mucho. Dale Atleti. pic.twitter.com/Eqx5JFejgq

— TODOATLETI (@Todo_atleti) October 8, 2023

Atletico beat Real Sociedad in a match which was decided by two penalty appeals, after Samuel Lino sent Diego Simeone’s team ahead and Mikel Oyarzabal levelled for the Basque visitors. The Basque side were furious after they had a penalty appeal for handball turned and then the referee awarded Atletico a spot-kick in the final stages after Carlos Fernandez inadvertently handled a Griezmann shot, and the Frenchman scored it. Despite the decisions working in his team’s favour, Griezmann said the handball rule should be modified. “They have to make a rule that if it hits the hand it’s a penalty, and if not there’s not, not (only) the interpretation of the referee,” Griezmann told DAZN. “Today he interpreted it in our favour and we won, on other occasions it will be different.” Villarreal lost 2-1 at home against Las Palmas, while Real Betis drew 1-1 against Alaves, and controversial striker Mason Greenwood scored his first goal for Getafe in a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo. Bundesliga: Kingsley Coman double helps Bayern Munich cut gap after Bayer Leverkusen go top Kingsley Coman’s double helped Bayern Munich stay two points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen as the reigning champions beat Freiburg 3-0 at home on Sunday. With Leverkusen winning 3-0 against Cologne to go five points clear of the Bavarians just moments before kick-off, Bayern responded immediately and were 2-0 up at half-time. Coman looped a cross goalwards looking for Harry Kane in the 12th minute but the ball drifted over Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu and into the goal. Leroy Sane scored Bayern’s second 25 minutes in, playing a pass to Kane on the left and slamming the England captain’s return ball into the net. The duo are building an impressive partnership, with five of Sane’s seven goals this season assisted by the former Tottenham striker. The former Manchester City winger had the ball in the net again on the stroke of half-time, lifting a dipping shot over Atubolu, but the stunning strike was chalked off by VAR for offside. Coman scored again with five minutes remaining and once more had a slice of luck, his shot taking a big deflection to evade the outstretched arms of Atubolu. A smiling Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel told DAZN the game was “very good, from beginning to end we concentrated well.” Tuchel said Bayern had given Kane, who did not score but laid on an assist, more playmaking responsibility. “Both our number 10s were very high today, we pushed Harry back a little bit so that he was better integrated in the game.” Freiburg coach Christian Streich said his side “had no chance today”. “I’m happy that it finished 3-0, because there could certainly have been more goals,” he added. Bayern will head into the international break in third, while Freiburg – who narrowly missed out on the top four last season – sit in midtable, with 10 points after seven matches. Leverkusen dominant Earlier on Sunday, Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen continued their unbeaten start to the season with a comfortable win over derby rivals Cologne. Leverkusen were superb in attack, goals from Jonas Hofmann, Jeremie Frimpong and Victor Boniface taking the side to a dominant victory against their struggling opponents. “When you see how hard we’re working daily, week after week, we’ve changed our mentality. We fight and we run,” said midfielder Granit Xhaka. “It all looks beautiful… but it’s not easy.” A World Cup winner with Spain as a player in 2010, Alonso’s influence on Leverkusen was clear in the home side’s first goal, Hofmann finishing off a slick team move for the opener. Boniface slid the ball to Alex Grimaldo on the left flank, the Spain defender finding Florian Wirtz who back-heeled for Hofmann to score his sixth goal in 10 games since moving from Gladbach in the summer. “It’s been a great honour to get to know him,” added Xhaka of Alonso. “He’s so hungry for success, for perfection – and you see that on the field.” Leverkusen doubled their advantage shortly afterwards, Grimaldo threading a ball across the face of goal for Frimpong to tap home. Boniface scored Leverkusen’s third midway through the second half, turning in an inch-perfect pass from Hofmann from close range to make it seven goals in seven league appearances this season. Boniface had a chance to score a second late in the match, but skewed his shot just wide. Leverkusen have now won nine of their 10 matches in all competitions this season, only dropping points in a pulsating 2-2 draw at Bayern. The loss leaves Cologne stranded alone at the bottom of the table, with just one point. In Sunday’s late game, Eintracht Frankfurt overcame an early penalty miss from Jessic Ngankam to win 2-0 at home against promoted Hoffenheim. Ngankam blasted his shot over the bar 30 minutes in after Omar Marmoush was fouled in the box but teenage midfielder Hugo Larsson scored his first goal for the club minutes later to give the Eagles the lead. Former Dortmund winger Ansgar Knauff sealed the win – just Frankfurt’s second of the season – with a goal midway through the second half. Ligue 1: PSG win, Montpellier vs Clermont abandoned after firecracker thrown at goalkeeper Paris Saint-Germain bounced back from their heavy Champions League loss at Newcastle United to beat Rennes 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Sunday, while the earlier game between Montpellier and Clermont was abandoned after a firecracker was thrown at visiting goalkeeper Mory Diaw. PSG were thrashed 4-1 in Newcastle on Wednesday, a result and a performance which raised serious doubts about their prospects in Europe this season. But they returned to form against Rennes at a ground where they have regularly struggled in recent years, recording a win which lifts them up to third in the table, two points behind leaders Monaco. “We are always happy when we win, but I was also happy after the defeat at Newcastle,” claimed coach Luis Enrique. He abandoned his experiment with playing four forwards, and the returning midfielder Vitinha opened the scoring with a brilliant arcing strike into the top corner from an Ousmane Dembele pass just after the half-hour mark. It was 2-0 four minutes later when Warren Zaire-Emery crossed for Achraf Hakimi, arriving unmarked in the box, to head in. Amine Gouiri headed home from close range to get Rennes back into the match in the 56th minute, but PSG scored again two minutes later as Hakimi’s low delivery was converted at the near post by Randal Kolo Muani, who had been dropped from the starting line-up. Kolo Muani had another goal disallowed for offside, while Kylian Mbappe somehow shot over late on after a brilliant burst forward that had taken him around the goalkeeper. “He might not have scored today, but he has been performing at a really high level since the start of the season,” Luis Enrique said of Mbappe. “It is a bit bizarre when Kylian doesn’t score but it is just a side note.” Montpellier face punishment

An unfortunate ending to the Montpellier vs Clermont match 😔

The match has been abandoned after goalkeeper Mory Diaw was stunned by a firework thrown from the crowd. The Senegalese goalkeeper had to be stretched off. pic.twitter.com/LMbmSPz32q

— Football is Life (@futball_is_life) October 8, 2023

In Montpellier, television pictures showed a firecracker landing next to the feet of Clermont goalkeeper Diaw and exploding with a loud bang, just as the match was entering stoppage time. A clearly stunned Diaw went down and needed treatment before being stretchered off, and the game was halted before being abandoned following a crisis meeting. “The doctor who examined the Clermont goalkeeper certified that he was not in a condition to return to the field. The match is therefore halted definitively,” referee Florent Batta told media at the Stade de la Mosson. Montpellier were leading 4-2 and on course for their first home win of the season until the incident, and now risk serious punishment with the prospect of having to replay the game without their fans at the very least. A police spokesman told AFP that the suspected perpetrator had been arrested. Diaw was able to return to Clermont with his teammates after the game and was due to undergo further tests on Monday, the club said. “We are disgusted, disappointed and sad,” admitted Montpellier president Laurent Nicollin, as he complained that the actions of one individual “could penalise the whole team”. Lyon still winless Marseille claimed their first win under new coach Gennaro Gattuso, beating Le Havre 3-0 courtesy of an own goal as well as strikes by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ismaila Sarr. Le Havre had been reduced to 10 men before half-time when Rassoul Ndiaye was sent off for a second yellow card. Lens followed their midweek Champions League win over Arsenal by coming from behind to draw 1-1 at home to Lille in the northern derby. Benjamin Andre gave Lille the lead but Deiver Machado equalised for Lens, who are unbeaten in five games. Struggling Lyon are still without a win this season after squandering a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Lorient. Eli Junior Kroupi gave Lorient the lead, but Ernest Nuamah equalised in the 21st minute and Alexandre Lacazette put Lyon ahead 60 seconds later. A Lacazette penalty made it 3-1 for Lyon before half-time, but Lorient fought back in the second half with Kroupi scoring again before Darlin Yongwa equalised. Monaco are a point clear of Nice at the top following a 3-1 victory at Reims on Saturday, while their Cote d’Azur neighbours won 1-0 at Metz to maintain their unbeaten record this season. Like PSG, Brest are two points off top spot after a 1-1 draw with Toulouse.