Gabriel Martinelli’s late, deflected strike secured a remarkable victory for Arsenal against reigning champions Manchester City at the emirates stadium.

In a match that saw limited goalmouth action, it was Martinelli, coming on as a substitute for his first appearance since September, who provided the only goal, propelling Arsenal past Pep Guardiola’s team in the Premier League standings.

This win not only put an end to Arsenal’s string of 12 consecutive defeats against Manchester City but could also prove pivotal as the season progresses.

The atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium was electric from the kickoff, with both teams aware that the Premier League’s top spot was on the line.

Manchester City had the first notable chance of the game, with Josko Gvardiol heading toward goal from a corner. However, Declan Rice was in the right place to clear it off the line. The danger persisted momentarily until Nathan Ake fired over the bar when the ball landed at his feet inside the penalty area.

This early pressure was a close call for Arsenal, but another moment of anxiety came 15 minutes into the game. While playing the ball from the back, David Raya took too long in possession, allowing Julian Alvarez to close him down. Raya’s clearance attempt hit Alvarez and narrowly missed Arsenal’s post.

Arsenal needed to find their footing, and Eddie Nketiah created a shooting opportunity inside the box but missed the target.

Gradually, Arsenal regained momentum, and tensions escalated when Mateo Kovacic made a late challenge on Martin Odegaard. Despite a VAR review, Kovacic received only a yellow card.

Within minutes, Kovacic committed a similar foul on Declan Rice, but the referee chose not to produce any more cards, leaving the Emirates crowd surprised.

Arsenal was enjoying its best period in the first half, with Alex Zinchenko having two speculative shots blocked from the edge of the area.

Mikel Arteta introduced Gabriel Martinelli in the second half, marking the Brazilian’s return after missing five games due to injury. He replaced Leandro Trossard on the left, with Gabriel Jesus on the opposite flank. After 87 consecutive Premier League appearances, Bukayo Saka wasn’t involved in the match.

Martinelli recorded Arsenal’s first shot on target five minutes after his introduction, courtesy of a pass from Declan Rice, but the angle was challenging.

The pace of the game gradually slowed, and chances became scarce for both teams. With 15 minutes remaining, Arteta made a triple substitution, bringing on Kai Havertz, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Thomas Partey.

Tomiyasu delivered a long pass to Havertz just inside the area, who then passed to Martinelli. His shot found the target but wrong-footed Ederson when it deflected off Nathan Ake’s face.

The Emirates Stadium erupted with joy. Arsenal had faced little trouble defensively, and now they had a lead to defend.

Arsenal managed to secure the victory without much drama, extending their unbeaten start in the Premier League and finally defeating the treble-winners from the previous season.