Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur hold on to top spot thanks to arch-rivals Arsenal’s win over Manchester City
Arsenal finally ended its 12-game losing streak to Manchester City in the Premier League after Gabriel Martinelli scored in the 87th minute Sunday to secure a 1-0 win over the defending champion.
In a cagey match that featured few quality chances for either side, substitutes Kai Havertz and Martinelli combined for a late winner that made the Emirates crowd erupt.
Havertz laid the ball off for Martinelli whose shot from outside the area took a deflection to wrongfoot City goalkeeper Ederson.
It was a goal that put an end to six years of demoralizing league defeats against City — including a 3-1 loss at home last season that helped Pep Guardiola’s team finish five points above Arsenal.
The team’s 12-match losing streak against City in the league was the longest against any opponent in the club’s history.
City, meanwhile, fell to consecutive league losses for the first time since 2018 after a 2-1 defeat at Wolves last weekend.
Arsenal and Tottenham now top the standings on 20 points from eight games, with City two points behind in third.
Up until Martinelli’s goal, the game had featured little of the crowd-pleasing soccer that both sides are known for, instead settling into a cautious match.
With both teams missing key players, neither side seemed willing to take many risks.
City was without suspended midfielder Rodri, with Kevin de Bruyne a long-term injury absentee, and lacked its usual fluid buildup play.
Rodri’s replacement, Mateo Kovacic, was lucky to stay on the field in the first half when he first got away with just a yellow card for a studs-up tackle from behind on Martin Odegaard — with a VAR review judging that it wasn’t worthy of a red — and then escaped a second booking minutes later after another late
Read on indianexpress.com
