Man City did five things wrong in added time vs Arsenal - but full time reaction showed true colours

Manchester City conceded a last-minute equaliser in the Premier League draw with Arsenal as Gabriel Martinelli cancelled out Erling Haaland's opener

Pep Guardiola’s tactical decisions have been in the spotlight in the hours since Gabriel Martinelli lobbed a last-gasp leveller at the Emirates.

Manchester City had sat in and protected a one-goal lead given to them early in the piece by Erling Haaland and while Arsenal had the territory and possession, they struggled to fashion too many clear-cut chances until Martinelli broke the Blues resistance in added time.

Guardiola spoke after the game about his pride in the defensive showing and his acceptance that Arsenal’s ability, and to some extent the punishing week City had endured, played into his tactical thinking.

Don’t expect City to make a habit of ceding possession and sitting deep, but let’s not forget it was minutes away from being a master stroke.

As it was, City were punished late in the game and had to settle for a point. And while Martinelli’s moment of magic was a classy finish from a sublime Eberechi Eze pass, there were five mistakes from a physically and mentally tiring City that allowed Arsenal to strike. The passage of play that led to the winner actually started with City in possession in the Arsenal half.

Reijnders decision

Tijjani Reijnders advanced infield with the ball, into a trio of Arsenal players, and was ultimately tackled. The Dutchman should perhaps have shown a little bit more game management and moved wider rather than central, especially given Savinho was in support. At that point in the match, keep-ball was the order of the day for City rather than direct attacking play.

Nico's weakness

Even when Reijnders ceded possession, Savinho picked up the loose ball and poked a pass into Nico Gonzalez. The midfielder had only entered the fray in the second half and while he was under pressure from a swarm of Arsenal shirts, he took a bad touch and then turned into further trouble before subsequently losing the ball. There was a case for a foul by Riccardo Calafiori but the officials didn't agree and in any case Nico had to be stronger to retain possession.

Absent press

Arsenal then build relatively slowly and City have all 11 players behind the ball when Eze picks up possession. Indeed, the Gunners have only three players in the City half when Eze collects the ball and advances towards halfway. At least one of City's frontline players should have closed down the space and started a press given the healthy numerical advantage and the relative lack of attacking options for Eze, but the Blues - perhaps understandably fatigued although the nearest player was the newly-introduced Savinho - dropped off and the pitch became condensed.

Defensive dallying

By this point City are playing with an unfamiliar back five and Martinelli is in the channel between Nathan Ake and Josko Gvardiol on the City left. Ake has a head start on the Brazilian but elects to hold the defensive line and Gvardiol either doesn't recognise the danger or also attempts to play offside, allowing Martinelli the space to run into. A more alert defensive run would have at least given the Brazilian a tougher task to get a shot away.

Donnarumma position

But get a shot away he does and it was a glorious lobbed finish with the outside of his boot. The final issue for City, and perhaps this one is nitpicking, was Gianluigi Donnarumma's position. City's backline failings made the Italian's position look worse but he was neither forward nor back when Martinelli got the shot away and if anything helped shape the Arsenal man's decision.

When the ball was lofted over the top by Eze, the 'keeper should have dropped a few yards. Donnarumma had a fine game and his physicality and shot stopping had helped keep City in the contest. But his reaction after the leveller told you all you needed to know of the 26-year-old's frustrations as he punched the Emirates turf.

Major positive

Breaking down the goal like that is perhaps unfair given how resolute City played and how any goal in any game can at least in some part be attributed to poor decision-making by the side that concedes it.

Yet for all the disappointment felt by City players and fans, the biggest positive could perhaps be seen after the full time whistle. City had displayed a unity, desire and togetherness that pleased Guardiola no end and after the contest had finished, the squad went over to the travelling support for an extended show of thanks and the away end responded in kind.

It was a unity between squad and support that lasted more than two minutes and showed that the fight and belief is there on both sides for this new-look City. Two wins and a draw from the week the Blues faced is a strong return and while the late Arsenal leveller took away some of the shine, it shouldn't detract from the progress seen over the past seven days.

Bring on Arsenal at the Etihad in April.