Fulham goalkeeper saves late penalty in dramatic draw at Arsenal

Arsenal's topsy-turvy season took another bad turn when they let slip a two-goal lead and missed a late penalty to draw 3-3 at home with Fulham. Schwarzer dived low to his left and tipped the penalty onto the post, leaving the desperate Arteta wishing the ground would swallow him up as two more points went missing for the Gunners.

Even before today's draw, Arsenal had made their worst start in the Premier League under Arsene Wenger, and now they have taken just 16 points from their opening 11 games. Arsenal should have killed off their opponents with that 2-0 lead but Fulham would not lie down and accept a beating as they fought their way back into the game with two goals in just over ten minutes before half time. 

Manager Arsene Wenger accepted Arsenal had only themselves to blame after throwing away a two-goal lead for the second time in a week as Fulham battled to a 3-3 draw at the Emirates Stadium. Early goals from Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski put the Gunners in control, just as they had been in their Champions League game at Schalke on Tuesday night, only for the Germans to fight back. 'It was frustrating because we had the opportunities to win. We were caught in a bit too comfortable of a position because we did the most difficult thing - we scored two goals to go 2-0 up. At that moment we lacked urgency defensively,' said Wenger. 

Mikel Arteta lay flabbergasted on the turf. Fulham's players huddled around their goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. Arsène Wenger looked bleak. Martin Jol thundered towards the referee, Phil Dowd, with a piquant word or two. That Arsenal had at one stage been 2-0 up, were pegged back to 3-2, then level at 3-3, and with the final twist awarded a stoppage-time penalty that was saved ... it was bedlam. Martin Jol, on the other hand, was remarkably sanguine. Expectations were low, since no Fulham manager has ever won at Arsenal. Defeat is their customary fate. 

So when Mark Schwarzer flung himself to the left to knock aside Mikel Arteta's shot, Jol accepted the outcome. 'Maybe we should be pleased after the penalty,' he remarked. 'Certainly the referee was pleased not to see it go in.' It was easy to agree with his analysis after the events of the final seconds. Bryan Ruiz, the most effective player on view, untypically surrendered possession with an indiscreet square pass. The Arsenal substitute Andrey Arshavin collected the offering, scampered into the area and smashed a drive against the arm of Fulham's Chris Baird.

Van Persie helps to destroy his old club: United over Gunners 2-1

Arsenal may have matched Manchester United for possession and scored a consolation goal with the last kick of the game through Santi Cazorla, but in every other area they were a distant second best, failing to resemble challengers for a top-four place let alone the title. Out of respect, manager Arsene Wenger is still exempt from heavy public barracking,  so those supporters turned on their chief executive, chanting 'Ivan Gazidis, what do you do?' with an expletive thrown in for good measure. Certainly, replacing £24million Van Persie with a mid-ranking Frenchman in Olivier Giroud does not look shrewd business from a football point of view. While Van Persie bagged his eighth Premier League goal of the season with a clinical early strike, Arsenal's current new striker is stuck on one - and clumsily missed a couple of Arsenal's best opportunities.

"A strange game," Ferguson reflected. "Nothing like Manchester United and Arsenal games of the past." The atmosphere was flat. Arsenal were rarely in it and, before the end, their supporters had grown bored of abusing Van Persie and turned on their chief executive Ivan Gazidis. "We want our Arsenal back" was the general tone. How premature it now feels that earlier in the season Arsenal were being commended for a new sense of order in defence and the appointment of Steve Bould was being hailed for re-establishing them as a genuine threat.

Instead, all the old failings have gradually returned. André Santos's apparent ambition to be regarded as the least distinguished Brazilian footballer ever to play in the Premier League is nothing new, but let's not make him the scapegoat alone. Thomas Vermaelen, say, has rarely looked so vulnerable. Wenger talked about "an hour of mistakes" and his captain was heavily implicated.

 Wilshere

While Mannone had to save from Rooney and Van Persie again before the interval the deadly duo did not make the most compelling case for United's return to a conventional 4-4-2. Rooney could not even convert a penalty right at the end of the first half, missing the target after Santi Cazorla blocked Ashley Young's cross with his hands. Cazorla's lovely goal with the last kick of the game will have cheered them up slightly, but only slightly. Had United been properly at the races this would have been another drubbing. "We were sloppy with our chances," Van Persie said. "I should have scored two goals but I'm happy with one."

MAN UTD: De Gea, Da Silva, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Valencia (Nani 82), Carrick, Cleverley (Anderson 61), Young, Rooney, van Persie. Subs not used: Lindegaard, Hernandez, Scholes, Powell, Wootton.
ARSENAL: Mannone, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Andre Santos, Arteta, Ramsey (Walcott 52), Wilshere, Cazorla, Podolski (Arshavin 81), Giroud. Subs not used: Martinez, Koscielny, Coquelin, Jenkinson, Chamakh.
Booked: Arteta, Arshavin, Wilshere, Young, Cleverley, Anderson, Rooney, Van Persie
Goals: Van Persie (M) 3, Evra (M) 67, Cazorla (A) 90
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)

credits to: Daily Mail

Arsenal strike late to beat QPR and Wilshere returns after 17 months out

A late Mikel Arteta goal ended some determined resistance from Queens Park Rangers as Arsenal beat the Premier League's bottom club 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium. For all the drama that unfolded at the Emirates it was painfully obvious Arsenal are a team struggling for confidence and inspiration. Jack Wilshere’s return from injury can only turn out positive for the Gunners as they set to enter a crucial stage of their campaign. The loss to Norwich and their win against QPR has heated matters up at the Emirates as Arsène Wenger looks for a steady rhythm in performance.

A difficult week on and off the field for Arsène Wenger ended with some grudging cold comfort as Arsenal left it late to score a scrappy winner against a well-drilled and energetic Queen Park Rangers, Mikel Arteta prodding home from what looked, with the benefit of a replay, an offside position. In the process Wenger's team avoided a third scoring blank of the week, but still delivered a performance of notable entropy until a surge in the last 10m minutes, sparked by the sending off of Stéphane Mbia.

Arsenal are a club in search of an identity and never look like a team in charge of their own destiny. Following two defeats and an angry annual general meeting, manager Arsene Wenger was grateful enough of the win. But the failings manifested against Norwich and Schalke were evident: little intensity, a dearth of creativity and a lack of clear-cut chances. With a midfield trio of Mikel Arteta, Santi Cazorla and Wilshere, this team form a much more serious proposition - if Wilshere can return to the form of 2010-11 - so this downturn in form is unlikely to be permanent.

Wenger gave Wilshere his first league start for 17 months and the England star’s touch and control were a breath of fresh air. Bacary Sagna was also back five months after his broken leg to give the Gunners a sense of purpose down the channels. Wilshere settled in straight away. After three minutes Lukas Podolski sent Arsenal’s No 10 on the overlap and he delivered a lethal cut-back but neither Olivier Giroud nor Santi Cazorla could get there.

Wilshere said he felt like he was returning to a new team, but it's one without the potency of the 2011 incarnation, and one where the burden of providing the flair is falling on the 20-year-old. "Last time I played it was with Fabregas and Nasri and now there's Arteta and (Santi) Cazorla so it's like a new team and a new me," Wilshere said. "It's been very tough for me, for any player who's been injured it's tough. ... You question yourself every day, 'Are you going to get back to that level?'"

There was a scare at the start of the second half when the midfielder went down after being fouled by Esteban Granero. But after going down with his left leg in pain, Wilshere was able to return to action and continue until Theo Walcott replaced him in the 67th. But the much-needed goal didn't look like coming. Per Mertesacker's header from Arteta's free kick had been pushed away by Cesar, and Cazorla squandered a fine opening in the 78th when he blasted the ball over when he was in space in the penalty area.

Arsenal’s next fixture positions them against Manchester United in an away game at Old Trafford, where both teams know the points will be hard earned. Arguably one of the most exciting English talents, Wilshere might be given a chance to impress in a fixture where expectations will be high. Judging by the Gunners position in the table and their recent win against QPR, this is a must win game. Knowing our usual play against Manchester United, tensions will be high, and stakes will be raised.

Arsenal: Mannone, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Andre Santos, Arteta, Wilshere (Walcott 67), Cazorla, Ramsey, Podolski (Gervinho 71), Giroud, Gervinho (Arshavin 81). Subs not used: Martinez, Koscielny, Coquelin, Jenkinson. Booked: Giroud.

Goals: Arteta 84.

QPR: Julio Cesar, Bosingwa, Mbia, Nelsen, Traore (Onuoha 73), Wright-Phillips (Mackie 79), Diakite, Granero, Hoilett,Taarabt, Zamora (Cisse 72). Subs not used: Green, Ferdinand, Ephraim, Faurlin. Sent off: Mbia (80). Booked: Granero,Taarabt.

credits to: www.guardian.co.uk

Arsenal: Mannone's mistake gives Norwich shock win!

Arsene Wenger accused his players of lacking what is required to make a top team as struggling Norwich outfought and outsmarted Arsenal to climb out of the bottom three. Grant Holt’s 19th-minute goal was enough to clinch the Canaries’ first win of the season and a first victory in 13 matches against the Gunners. For Arsene Wenger, this was his first blip of the season. Sadly, though, it appears any hopes Arsenal have of challenging for the title are already disappearing.

Wenger cannot afford his team to deliver too many performances like this. And goalkeeper Vito Mannone, only playing because of injuries to Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski, cannot make many more mistakes like the one which led to the winner Wenger refused to criticise his goalkeeper. ‘We don’t blame Mannone because other players made mistakes, too,’ said the Frenchman. ‘We had to put it behind us and come up with a better performance.’

Arsenal had one opportunity before the break following a fine pass from Mikel Arteta but Gervinho hopelessly wasted the chance as he failed to kick the ball properly. The Gunners’ best chance came fell to Olivier Giroud. But with his back to goal he collapsed on the ground in a heap.

Hughton had clearly worked hard on improving his defence and the team responded with a hard-working, disciplined display to deny Arsenal space and limited their celebrated visitors to a handful of chances. John Ruddy, in fact, had a quiet night, pulling off an important save near the end when, unlike Mannone, he safely gathered in Mikel Arteta’s fierce low drive. When Gervinho finally found space in the penalty area, Sebastien Bassong flung himself to make a crucial blocking tackle. Nothing would go right for Arsenal, for whom Lucas Podolski and Olivier Giroud looked sluggish, and their miserable night was compounded when England forward Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain limped off with a bruised hip nine minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Norwich: Ruddy, Russell Martin, Turner, Bassong, Garrido, Elliott Bennett (Snodgrass 79), Johnson, Hoolahan (Ryan Bennett 90), Tettey, Pilkington, Holt (Morison 90). Subs not used: Rudd, Howson, Jackson, Surman. Booked: Johnson, Hoolahan, Holt,Turner.

Arsenal: Mannone, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Andre Santos, Ramsey (Gnabry 83), Arteta, Cazorla, Gervinho,Giroud, Podolski (Oxlade-Chamberlain 65), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arshavin 74). Subs not used: Martinez, Wilshere, Djourou,Coquelin.

Goals: Holt 19.

credits to: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2220554/Norwich-1-Arsenal-0--match-report.h

Cazorla and Walcott conduct Arsenal's win against West Ham: 1-3

France striker Olivier Giroud scored his first Premier League goal as Arsenal came from behind to beat West Ham 3-1 in the Premier League on Saturday. Giroud, who joined in the offseason from Montpellier, netted from close range just before halftime.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger also showered Cazorla with praise. 'It is a pleasure to watch him. It's a delight to see what he does on the pitch,' said Wenger. Arsenal had to come from behind to secure a win that left them in fifth place in the table, after Mohamed Diame's curling shot beat Vito Mannone to give West Ham the lead in the 21st minute. Walcott said. "He's fantastic to play with every day. He's our conductor. I don't even know what foot is his best to be honest."

Confronted by an old nemesis in the shape of a Sam Allardyce team that backed them into an awkward corner by opening the scoring, the Gunners struck the right combination of force and finesse. They remain unbeaten away and continue to play some compelling football on the road.

Theo Walcott fired a message to manager Arsene Wenger after stepping in from the cold to help Arsenal hit back and secure a valuable three points. Contract rebel Walcott scored the goal that gave Arsenal a vital lead against West Ham before Santi Cazorla netted a stunning late clincher.

Walcott, who started on the bench yet again but came on to provide another example of why he yearns for a striking role, played a critical part in the comeback. Giroud's deft assist set the fleet-footed attacker bearing down on goal.

Spaniard Cazorla capped a superb individual performance and finally silenced the West Ham crowd by sending a stunning 25-yard shot into the top corner with seven minutes remaining. Arsenal's victory shoved the abusive chants aimed at Wenger back down the throats of a section of West Ham fans and there was a sense of justice that the Frenchman was able to celebrate at the final whistle.

Allardyce was left frustrated. "The second goal was a killer because we were in a fantastic position to score at that stage. Because we picked up the wrong pass, we've opened ourselves up and they've severely punished us on the break," he conceded.

credits to: http://www.onenewspage.co.uk/n/Sports/74rh5jev1/Santi-Cazorla-conducts-Arsenal-win-at-West.htm

Vermaelen is ready for the match against West Ham

Arsenal have been a much more solid unit this season and as long as they continue that tomorrow, they have the quality to outplay West Ham, take all three points and give Big Sam something to think about. Sam Allardyce produces teams that get stuck in and try to rattle their opponents.

Arsenal captain Vermaelen is a man who relishes a challenge and he is looking forward to pitting himself against the big England front man tomorrow. Vermaelen has the confidence boost of successfully curbing the threat of Carroll when Arsenal faced Liverpool last year but he is also aware that West Ham play in a style more suited to Carroll’s game. “At West Ham they play some long balls and with Carroll up front, he’s a tall guy. He’s good with his head so it will be a big challenge.”

Because of his height and form, Per Mertesacker is likely to reclaim his starting position from Laurent Koscielny and, hopefully, will help Arsenal to cut out the defensive errors that have crept in. Mertesacker has not been to Upton Park before and Vermaelen will have prepared him for the hostile derby atmosphere which Vermaelen actually enjoys. “I must say I like the stadium and the atmosphere there, so it’s quite nice to go there and play again'', said belgian defender.

Vermaelen continue: “First we have to match them in the fight. If there’s a long ball, we want to fight for that ball and bring it down as quickly as possible and play our own game.” His key attributes include aerial ability, leadership skills and he is quick with the ball at his feet. He is also known for his goalscoring ability as a defender. He speaks Dutch and English.

credits to: http://justarsenal.com/arsenal-captain-vermaelen-expects-a-fight-against-west-ham/17033

Chelsea beats Arsenal: Juan Mata makes the difference

Chelsea consolidated their lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League with a 2-1 win that ended Arsenal’s unbeaten start. Torres fired Chelsea ahead and Juan Mata's free-kick squirmed in to secure three points for the European champions after Gervinho had equalised on the stroke of half-time.

Arsenal made a lively start, as on 11 minutes, Abou Diaby created space for himself some 20 yards out and shot fiercely at Petr Cech. However, the French midfielder got injured and was soon replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Arsenal did not pose enough threat to claw their way back from two crucially loose moments. Indeed, they were flat enough to ensure the home support did not even rouse much sustained hostility for John Terry, who had an untroubled 90 minutes. The pantomime booing petered out once Chelsea took the lead.

Arsenal had been frustrated by their weakness at a set piece to give Manchester City the lead last Sunday. There was not much tangible improvement here. "We gave away two soft set pieces and we were punished," said Arsène Wenger, who was very agitated as his team were outmanoeuvred at both ends of the pitch. "The difference between us and Chelsea in the air was obvious." There may have been improvements this season, but a familar problem came back to haunt them at an untimely moment.

Chelsea took the lead on twenty minutes with a brilliant finish from Fernando Torres. A free-kick from Mata on the right was floated through the Arsenal penalty area towards the far post. Laurent Koscielny was wrestling with Torres, but the Spaniard was still able to hook the ball back into the net. Before Arsenal could regroup, they were almost 2-0 down. Torres robbed Koscielny out on the left and darted into the penalty area. However, as the Vito Mannone came out and he shaped to shoot, the Spaniard tumbled and Arsenal cleared.

Slowly Arsenal found their rhythm again. Gervinho was picked out at the far post and headed back across goal instead of at it. But the Ivorian soon equalised. After patient build-up play from right-back Carl Jenkinson who fed the ball back to Arteta, the Spaniard slipped Oxlade-Chamberlain down the flank. His low centre across the six-yard box was collected by Gervinho with his back to goal, and he turned to blast a shot into the roof of the net. Arsenal started the second half brightly, with Santi Cazorla snatching at an angled drive which flew wide. However, the Gunners were undone again in the 53rd minute.

Once more Mata's curling delivery caused panic in the Arsenal penalty area and a backtracking Koscielny helped the ball on with the slightest of touches into the corner past Mannone's dive. Wenger had seen enough and made a double change after 66 minutes, bringing on Walcott for Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud, who scored his first Arsenal goal in the midweek Capital One Cup win over Coventry City, for Podolski.

Thomas Vermaelen was penalised for fouling Torres and the punishment was complete as Mata's angled free-kick took a slight touch off Koscielny to drift beyond Mannone into the bottom corner. It was the final act and Terry celebrated by advancing towards celebrating Chelsea fans after the final whistle and handing his boots to a youngster in the crowd.

credits to: http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/matches/2012-2013/epl.html/arsenal-vs-chelsea

Arsenal's forward Giroud breaks his duck as Coventry trashed in Cup, and helps silence the doubters

Olivier Giroud, maligned by some after his £12 million move from Montpellier, scored his first Arsenal goal, set up another and missed a penalty as Coventry City were thrashed 6-1 at the Emirates.

Olivier Giroud ended his goal drought at 354 minutes as Arsenal destroyed Coventry and Arsene Wenger predicted more will follow from his £12million striker. Giroud, signed from Montpellier in the summer to fill the void left by Robin van Persie, failed to score in his first six appearances. Arsenal fans enjoyed a rare old night at the Emirates on Wednesday as the Gunners eased into the fourth round of the League Cup with a 6-1 thrashing of Coventry.

'It was in everybody's mind that the sooner he gets it the better,' said Wenger. 'It was in his mind more than our minds. It's positive that he has scored. It was a good finish. He's a good finisher. I believe he is looking for confidence and that goal will help him. I expect him to score now in the Premier League.'

Arsenal were still far too strong for League One strugglers Coventry and further goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andrey Arshavin, Ignasi Miquel and Theo Walcott, who struck twice, emphasised the hosts' superiority. Callum Ball pulled one back but  Miquel restored Arsenal’s four-goal  advantage near the end and Walcott rounded off the win with his second.

Gunners midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong was introduced from the bench with 15 minutes to go, making his return from a long-term knee injury sustained when on-loan at Wolves last season. The recently appointed Coventry manager, Mark Robins, wanted to please some 8,000 of his club's followers rather than have his men skulk in their own half. It was Arsenal, of course, who relished the match. There was particular satisfaction over those Walcott goals, although the unease continues as to whether he might leave the club as a free agent next summer.

"You have to give us time to sort it out," said Wenger. "We are always in touch with Theo's representatives." The manager also knows, though, that a range of resources is apparent. "I expect Giroud to take that into the Premier League," he observed of his new striker's finish. Change was in the air. Arsenal's 19-year-old Nico Yennaris had, for instance, been the club's mascot when the team faced Coventry in 2000. This was just his second start under Wenger. The goalkeeper Damián Martínez and defender Martin Angha made their Arsenal debuts. Even so, it was the experience of Andrey Arshavin that was particularly prominent.

Walcott, in the final year of his contract, milked the crowd’s reaction at the end. Wenger reiterated that he wanted Walcott to stay but added that the 23 year-old would have to wait to be given his chance as a striker. “I’m not against it at all but at the moment there is a big competition up front. His time will come for that,” Wenger said. But Walcott does not want to wait. Both his goals came as he ran in from the wing – on either side – to strike angled shots past goalkeeper Joe Murphy.

Let us not forget Andrei Arshavin, either. Granted a free transfer at the end of the summer the Russian has hung around, unwanted. However, he was praised by Wenger before this League Cup tie and was rewarded with a start and a goal. Arsenal gave youth its head with starts for Nico Yennaris – a mascot against Coventry a dozen years ago – and Martin Angha while Serge ­Gnabry was introduced from the bench. For the victors there must now be confidence flooding through them. It has already been a sound beginning to the campaign. If this sort of relish and impact is to continue, Walcott may find cause to stay where he is.

credits to: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2209005/Arsenal-6-Coventry-1-match-report-Olivier-Giroud-scores-Theo-Walcott-hits-two.html

Martinez believes Arsenal loanee Miyaichi has a big role to play at the club this season

Miyaichi joined Wigan on a season-long loan from Arsenal in the summer as Arsene Wenger looks for him to get valuable Premier League experience under his belt.

Roberto Martinez, the Wigan boss, believes Arsenal loanee Ryo Miyaichi has a big role to play at the club this season. Ryo Miyaichi impressed Wigan boss during his loan spell from Arsenal.

There have been some doubts as to whether the 19-year-old Japanese is ready for the rigours of top-flight English football, but Martinez has been impressed by the attacker during his short time at the DW Stadium.

Martinez said: "He is only 19 but his performances against Fulham and West Ham show he's someone who is ready to have a massive, massive impact this season. Ryo Miyaichi has benefited from having time in the training ground and time to work with his team."

Martinez continue: "I was very pleased with his performance. Overall his contribution was very, very good and he is a player that is growing. He can play on the right or the left and he is very decisive in a one-on-one situation. He is one of those players who you really want to pay to watch."

credits to: http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11670/8112361/Wigan-boss-Roberto-Martinez-backs-Arsenal-loanee-Ryo-Miyaichi

Acrobatic kick by Koscielny that gives a point to Arsenal. Gunners equalise City: 1-1

Laurent Koscielny's equaliser ensured Arsenal left Eastlands with a deserved point as the Gunners held Premier League champions Manchester City to a 1-1 draw on Sunday. Koscielny's goal eight minutes from time ensured Arsenal maintained their unbeaten start to the season and cancelled out the opener from City centre-half Joleon Lescott.

The Gunners had much the better of the first half but could not make their dominance count and Joleon Lescott headed the hosts in front from a 40th-minute corner. Premier League facts and figures showed that that Arsenal new boy Santi Cazorla had created more scoring chances for teammates from open play (14) than any other player before this weekend and it was easy to see why. He found more space than the Blues would have liked in the opening 45 minutes.

Mancini had seen enough in the first half to be concerned as shown by the removal of Scott Sinclair, who showed some fine touches, and the addition of Jack Rodwell to stiffen up the central area and level out the battle. "I'm very sorry today for the players because it was difficult after Real Madrid," said the Italian. "But I'm worried because we continue to concede goals. We need to improve and we need to work. I don't know why it's happening but probably we don't have enough concentration in some situations.

Wenger's team always displayed a little more poise and, though they also endured periods when their football was not as clean and slick as their manager expects, there were spells when they threatened to wear their opponents down. Santi Cazorla was prominently involved, always wanting the ball and knowing the right thing to do with it. Mikel Arteta played with similar composure and Aaron Ramsey impressed in an unfamiliar wide role. When Jack Wilshere is back playing, this is going to be a delicious midfield.

Their problem is an obvious one, namely how to make do in attack without Robin van Persie. Lukas Podolski was substituted after a peripheral performance while Gervinho is too erratic, his touch frequently poor. One superb pass from Ramsey sent him running clear, at 0-0, but the striker's clumsiness wasted the opportunity, knocking the ball too far ahead and allowing Hart to cut out the danger. 

Mannone, playing in place of the injured Wojciech Szczesny, certainly did not cover himself in glory, attempting to plough through a ruck of defenders and getting nowhere near the ball. 

City could even have been two ahead at the break but Mannone partially redeemed himself with a fingertip save from Edin Dzeko's curling shot.

Prior to the opening goal, the two best openings of the half had both fallen to the visitors; the first after 15 minutes when Gervinho was played clean through on goal by Aaron Ramsey but produced a dismal first touch that saw the ball run away from him to goalkeeper Joe Hart. Nine minutes later, Carl Jenkinson's tidy approach play down the right-hand by-line allowed him to pull the ball back for Podolski who planted a shot high and wide over the City goal.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger threw on Olivier Giroud and Walcott for the game's final 19 minutes, the duo injecting more attacking urgency into their team's play without Hart being unduly troubled at first. Instead, Yaya Toure launched a dangerous 80th minute counter-attack, slipping in Aguero whose shot, under pressure from Koscielny, was turned around the post by Mannone.

It was a half chance, and miss, that proved costly with Arsenal immediately responding through midfielder Cazorla's powerful right-foot strike which Hart did well to tip over, resulting in the corner from which Koscielny equalised. Two minutes later, City might have regained the lead after Aguero drove a rebound just wide after Mannone had done well to keep out Vincent Kompany's acrobatic overhead kick.

credits to: http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/EnglishPremiership/Man-City-Arsenal-share-spoils-20120923