GABRIEL MARTINELLI came off the bench to rescue a point for Arsenal against Man City.
The Londoners were trailing 1-0 with just minutes left when Martinelli scored a gorgeous lob over the head of Gigi Donnarumma.
It marked a deserved point for Arsenal, who huffed and puffed all day against City.
But who was their best player on the day?
And did anyone have a game to forget?
Here, SunSport’s Jordan Davies delivers his Arsenal player ratings…
DAVID RAYA – 6/10
Very little to do all game, and very little he could do to deny Haaland the opener.
RICCARDO CALAFIORI – 5
His woeful cross with his teammates pressed high up the pitch led to City taking the lead, and never really recovered after that.
The Italian has been given a chance to start the season ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly.
But this performance will not have done his chances of keeping that left-back spot any good.
WILLIAM SALIBA – 6
Battled well with Haaland, especially given the fact this was his first start since August 31 after only just recovering from an ankle issue.
GABRIEL – 5
Was caught out of position and then comfortably beaten for pace by Haaland from inside the City half moments before City’s goal.
JURRIEN TIMBER – 6
Struggled to get any real momentum or produce many overlapping runs down the right but when he could he fed Madueke well and was solid at the back.
MARTIN ZUBIMENDI – 5
An indifferent showing. Kept Arsenal ticking over in the first half without really cutting City’s midfield open, and was a bit sloppy after the break with his side chasing a leveller.
DECLAN RICE – 4
Where was he? In a midfield three that was predominantly defensive-minded, the impetus was on the Englishman to take a hold of this game and drive Arsenal forward.
Instead, he spent a lot of time with cute but ineffective passes from side to side and very rarely ventured forward with one of those trademark darting runs.
This has been a below-par start to the season for such an important player.
MIKEL MERINO – 3
You almost felt sorry for him, being given a start from the off in such a big game, in such a crucial position, tasked with pressing and limiting Rodri.
Towards the end of the first half, he was being jeered every time he touched the ball, let alone whenever he passed backwards instead of forwards.
Luckily for him, Arteta took him out of the spotlight at half-time. It should be a long time before Merino is given another start with so much on the line again.
LEANDRO TROSSARD – 6
A surprise name on the teamsheet ahead of Martinelli and Eze, the former inspiring Arsenal’s late Champions League win in Bilbao and the latter an exciting summer signing ready to get his North London spell up and running.
But he was one of the few bright sparks, especially in the second half with a few decent deliveries.
NONI MADUEKE – 7
He would have been fuming to have been sat on the bench after being hauled off at half-time for no other reason than to let Saka take his place, despite being Arsenal’s best and most dangerous player in the first half.
Another baffling Arteta decision…
VIKTOR GYOKERES – 5
Heavy touches, ill-timed runs in behind and very little signs of him testing Donnarumma.
Again, the big Swede did not have brilliant service, but it only takes one chance to score, as Haaland showed, and he was struggling to carve one out of nothing.
These sorts of games were the reason he was bought, but he is yet to prove his worth.
SUBS:
EBERECHI EZE (MERINO, 45) – 8
Had a fizzing volley well saved early in the second half and provided the magical moment for Arsenal’s late, late leveller.
BUKAYO SAKA (MADUEKE, 45) – 6
Clearly still blowing off the cobwebs after a month out.
Would be tough to expect him to suddenly be the saviour like he normally is when fully fit.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI (TIMBER, 80) – 9
The match-winner yet again, off the bench yet again.
Surely now he is proving to Arteta that he is better than just a “finisher”? Or is he the perfect super-sub?
ETHAN NWANERI (TROSSARD, 84) – N/A
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