Arsenal ended an eight-year wait for a Premier League victory over Manchester City on Sunday, thanks to Gabriel Martinelli’s late goal.
The Gunners earned some sweet redemption at the Emirates Stadium after suffering 12 successive league defeats at the hands of Pep Guardiola’s club.
Martinelli’s shot deflected off City defender Nathan Ake with barely four minutes remaining, culminating in wild celebrations as Arsenal won a top-flight match against the triple champions for the first time since December 2015.
Arsenal had defeated City on penalties in the Community Shield in August, but that victory in the season opener could not be taken as seriously as this possibly decisive victory.
It moved Arsenal two points ahead of third-placed City into second place, leaving them two goals behind leaders Tottenham.
Following their 2-1 defeat against Wolves last weekend, City have now lost consecutive league games for the first time since December 2018.
City have now lost three of their previous four games, including a League Cup defeat to Newcastle.
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It is a rare display of weakness from a club that began their quest for a fourth consecutive title by winning the first six games of the season.
Few expect City to surrender without a fight, but Guardiola has concerns to address as he attempts to re-energize a group that may have lost a little zeal following their treble triumph.
Arsenal are hungry for trophy as they strive to forget losing an eight-point lead late in the season to finish fifth, five points behind City in second place.
Arsenal “are back” as long-term competitors to City’s domestic supremacy, according to Guardiola, thanks to the shrewd advice of his former aide Arteta.
Guardiola lost the tactical duel with his apprentice for the first time, as Arteta’s replacements proved decisive, giving the title race an early plot twist.
Declan Rice blocked off the line Josko Gvardiol’s lunging shot after Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya mishandled a cross, and City nearly seized the lead within five minutes.
City’s Nathan Ake should have scored from close range after Arsenal failed to clear the danger after that near escape, but the defender wasted his chance.
Raya almost gifted City a goal for the second time in the first 20 minutes as he took too long to deal with Gabriel’s back-pass, allowing Julian Alvarez to close down the keeper and deflect his frantic clearance inches wide.
Eddie Nketiah attempted to calm Arsenal’s nerves by cutting inside the City area and curling wide of the far post.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard boosted the decibel levels by frantically waving his arms to the crowd before Mateo Kovacic brought the atmosphere to a boil.
After a VAR check for a potential red card, Kovacic received a booking for crunching through the back of Odegaard’s ankle.
If Arteta was upset that Kovacic was not sent off for that charge, the Arsenal manager was furious moments later when the Croatian avoided a second yellow card after cutting down Rice.
After a sluggish first half, Arsenal came out firing in the second half.
After running onto Rice’s ball, Martinelli, a half-time substitution, forced Ederson to save at his near post.
Frustrated by City’s fragmented performance, Guardiola introduced John Stones, Jeremy Doku, and Matheus Nunes, but the substitutions had no effect.
But Arteta reacted with the introduction of Thomas Partey and Kai Havertz, which proved to be a masterstroke.
City appeared pleased with a point as the half progressed, but Arsenal continued pressing and finally broke through in the 86th minute.
Havertz received Partey’s long pass and sent it to Martinelli on the outskirts of the box, where the Brazilian slammed a ferocious effort that took a vicious deflection off Ake and sailed past the wrong-footed Ederson.