Manchester City and Arsenal have been the Premier League’s best teams over the course of the last two seasons.

Their meetings have felt like gargantuan clashes in the journey of discovering who will win the country’s top division but not always delivered the entertainment that some would expect from the quality of players on display. Sunday’s meeting perhaps did not show an abundance of free-flowing football but it delivered the entertainment and drama worthy of the game, in a manner nearing clashes between Manchester United and Arsenal of old.

When Rodri hit the floor in the opening seconds of the game, the stage was set for what was about to transpire. The Spain star was left clutching his face after colliding with Kai Havertz but there was deemed to be no red card offence having taken place.

A physical start to the game followed and Erling Haaland soon opened the scoring. The City forward scored his 100th goal for the club in 105 appearances and his 10th of the season, and outpaced Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes before slotting past David Raya.

Arsenal cruelly denied famous Man City win after 10-men concede in last minute – 6 talking points
Pep Guardiola’s side did not have to wait long to suffer a blow however. As early as the 16th minute Rodri went down under the challenge of Thomas Partey, clutching his leg.

Once again VAR deemed the incident unworthy of intervention but Rodri was left in tears as he was ultimately forced from the field. The momentum of the game quickly changed as Mateo Kovacic was introduced to replace the 28-year-old.

Soon after the restart, Arsenal found themselves quickly taking a free kick. Gabriel Martinelli drove at City’s defence before laying the ball off to Riccardo Calafiori. The Italian defender, on his full debut, launched an impressive strike to level the game.

City were left furious. There was a suggestion that Arsenal took their initial free kick from a more advantageous position which saw Ederson eventually earn a yellow card.

The Gunners took control of the game at this point and were able to find more success before the end of the half. Gabriel headed home from Bukayo Saka’s corner to give the visitors an advantage.

It was another goal that was not without contention. VAR deemed that Gabriel Martinelli did not foul Ederson in the build up to Gabriel’s effort but Ruben Dias earned a yellow card for his protests.

The half would not end there however as more drama emerged as late as the eighth minute of stoppage time. Leandro Trossard cynically fouled Bernado Silva before launching the ball away after the referee’s whistle had gone.

To the disbelief of Arsenal, it was a second yellow card for the Belgian who was given his marching orders. The Gunners stars frantically protested on the pitch, while Arteta half took off his jumper before making his case to the fourth official to no avail.

The break saw Ben White replace Bukayo Saka as Arsenal opted to utilise a back five in a bid to suppress the Premier League champions. Manchester City dominated possession with their one-man advantage and the first 15 minutes following half-time saw the Gunners manage just 13 passes compared to City’s 138.

Opportunities were taken by Arsenal’s stars to go down in a bid to tick time over, to the extent Michael Oliver was not always forthcoming in believing the Gunners’ claims of cramps. As David Raya looked to stretch out and frustrate his opposition, Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly was cautioned by the official for something he said, despite having yet to make his Premier League debut.

Once again it was in stoppage time where the drama racheted up. First Jurrien Timber went down claiming an injury, to which Oliver invited Arsenal to kick the ball out themselves. Raya launched the ball up the field but not out of play as City were able to keep the ball in but the official then stopped play to the home side’s frustrations and Bernado Silva picked up a yellow card.

Seven minutes later City eventually found the net. The ball fell to John Stones to scramble into the net to spark jubilant celebrations that included Haaland throwing the ball of an Arsenal defender, with some tension also present between the benchs.

Following the restart, things flared up on the pitch. Looking to press the ball, Haaland flattened Partey, who had now made his debut, as the midfielder attempted to block him. Gabriel then came head-to-head with City’s forward as full-time soon arrived.

Below Mirror Football have listed some of the flashpoints from a dramatic match that saw 33 shots from City compared to Arsenal’s five, and seven yellow cards shared between the sides.

Timeline of drama
1 min – Rodri falls to the floor and holds his face after colliding with Havertz from kick-off. Players from both teams crowd the Spaniard but no card is produced as VAR looks at the incident without intervening.

5 mins – Haaland throws himself into a challenge with William Saliba as the pair contest for an aerial ball. It was forceful from the Norway international to continue to set the tone for the game as each player went flying through the air.

9 mins – Haaland scores his 100th Manchester City goal to hand his side the lead and quell any fears he could not score against Saliba and Gabriel.

16 mins – Rodri goes down injured under the challenge of Partey. The midfielder, a key part of City’s control until this points, was forced off on his first Premier League start of the season.

22 mins – Riccardo Calafiori scores on his Premier League full debut with a thunderbolt before Manchester City protest where Arsenal took a free kick from in the build up. Ederson shown a yellow card.

34 mins – Trossard receives first yellow card for a cynical foul.

45+1 mins – Gabriel scores his second header in a week as it was decided Martinelli did not foul Ederson. Ruben Dias shown yellow after demanding a foul be awarded.

45+8 mins – Leandro Trossard sent off after being shown a second yellow card.

65 mins – Lewis-Skelly awarded a yellow card after speaking to the referee despite having not yet featured in the Premier League.

83 mins – Declan Rice shown a yellow card for delaying a restart before a throw-in.

91 mins – Timber goes down and Oliver invites Arsenal to kick the ball out,. Referee eventually blows up to City frustrations despite Raya’s kick upfield being kept in by City.

98 mins -John Stones scores City’s equaliser and Haaland throws ball off an Arsenal player in his celebrations

99 mins – Play stopped after Haaland barges into Thomas Partey after the Arsenal player attempts to block his run from the restart. Haaland then squares up with Gabriel.