Premier League: Stones' stoppage-time equaliser helps City hold Arsenal to draw, maintain unbeaten home run

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.

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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.

John Stones sends Man City back to the top of the table 🔝#MCIARS pic.twitter.com/XY8DbUAVDD

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 22, 2024

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.

City burst out of the traps to try and make their fresher legs count and got an early reward.

Haaland had not even managed a single shot on target in the two league meetings between the sides last season as Arsenal kept two clean sheets against the champions.

But the Norwegian is in unstoppable form and took just nine minutes to score his 10th goal of the season and bring up his century in 105 games for City.

Savinho’s through ball split the Arsenal defence and Haaland coolly prodded past the onrushing David Raya.

Ilkay Gundogan then curled a free-kick off the post.

But City’s momentum was interrupted when Rodri was forced off in some distress with a knee injury.

Just seconds after he was replaced by Mateo Kovacic, Arsenal levelled in stunning fashion.

Calafiori was picked out by Gabriel Martinelli at the edge of the box and the Italian defender curled a brilliant effort beyond Ederson for his first Gunners goal.

Gabriel scored the winner in Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Tottenham in the north London derby last weekend.

And City were also unable to cope with the Brazilian’s power at set-pieces.

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.

Warriors.

So much more to come from this team. pic.twitter.com/Qw73TWhz2D

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 22, 2024

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.

Sosa rescues point for Forest against Brighton

Nottingham Forest substitute Ramon Sosa scored his first Premier League goal to earn his side a 2-2 draw at Brighton as both managers were sent off.

The result means both sides remain unbeaten five games into the new season, with seventh-placed Brighton one place above Forest in the table.

Paraguay forward Sosa, who joined Forest last month, capitalised on a defensive lapse from the Seagulls with 20 minutes remaining at the Amex Stadium.

Quick-fire goals from Jack Hinshelwood and Danny Welbeck at the end of the first half turned the contest in Albion’s favour following an early penalty from Chris Wood.

Forest finished the match with 10 men after captain Morgan Gibbs-White was shown a second yellow card late in the game for a lunging challenge on Joao Pedro, with Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo and Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler also dismissed.

Callum Hudson-Odoi, who scored last week’s winner against Liverpool at Anfield, made another telling contribution as the visitors snatched a 13th-minute lead, winning the foul that led to Wood’s successful penalty.

Brighton dominated possession but struggled to create until a major momentum shift in the closing minutes of the half.

Hinshelwood levelled in the 42nd minute and the home side completed a rapid turnaround just three minutes later when Welbeck curled a free-kick into the bottom right corner.

But Brighton’s hard work was undone in the 70th minute as Forest levelled.

Five @premierleague games unbeaten 🖐️ pic.twitter.com/RCj7yuUfjz

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) September 22, 2024

Gibbs-White exploited a gaping hole and Jota Silva raced clear to square across goal and gift fellow replacement Sosa a simple tap-in.

Gibbs-White, who was earlier booked, then departed prematurely after halting Pedro’s attempted breakaway.

Nuno was incensed by the decision and he and counterpart Hurzeler also trudged down the tunnel after each being red-carded.

Nottingham Forest assistant boss Rui Pedro Silva, speaking to Sky Sports about the red cards said: “I think in the moment we finished the game very emotional. In the moment fighting for the game to remain unbeaten.”

Brighton coach Andrew Crofts said: “We are bitterly disappointed not to get three points. We created enough chances to win the game. We’re frustrated and maybe tempers were frayed.”