Arsenal come from behind to snatch a point at City

A dominant Arsenal side came from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday evening. Jolean Lescott opened the scoring with a header 5 minutes before half time but Laurent Koscielny smashed home an effort at the death to seal the draw. Arsenal dominated the game possession wise and could have easily taken away all 3 points if the likes of Gervinho had finished off some great opportunities to score. The Gunners were at their very best as they carved Man City open a number of times in the first half as they dominated the midfield. A key reason to that was in Aaron Ramsey who was starting his first game of the season as he came in for Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Welshman had played one of the best games he's played in an Arsenal shirt whilst Cazorla was as ever involved in most of the Gunners build up play. Arteta and Diaby were the men that held the team together deeper in midfield. It was also a very good defensive display as Mertesacker was a rock at the back whilst Jenkinson and Gibbs were good going forward from fullback.

Laurent Koscielny equalised with eight minutes left to rescue Arsenal

The first shot on goal came eight minutes in as Cazorla found space to fire an effort on goal from range but it was easily saved by Hart down to his left hand side.

Manchester City's first chance on goal came from Aguero as he drifted inside and hit a shot which dipped but Mannone was equal to it and managed to beat it away.

A quarter of an hour into the game and Gervinho had a fantastic chance to make it 1-0. Ramsey played the ball through to him and he would have been clean through on goal but he took a very poor touch which found its way greatfully into the hands of Joe Hart. With the Ivorian in form this season you would have backed him to score it.

Aaron Ramsey was then the orchestrator of another move as he played the ball out wide to Jenkinson who did brilliantly to get past Lescott before pulling the ball back to Podolski who blazed the shot over the bar.

Santi Cazorla then tested Hart from range again. This time it was a free-kick which he drove from far out but Hart got down well to it to keep the Spaniard out again.

5 minutes before the break, the hosts took the lead. David Silva's corner found the head of Jolean Lescott who headed home in a crowded penalty area just inside the post.

A minute later Man City went close to doubling their lead as Dzeko hit a curling shot from the edge of the area which forced Mannone into making a brilliant finger tip save to put the ball over the bar.

The score at half time was 1-0 to Manchester City.

The first chance of the second half fell City's way as a free-kick found its way out to Aguero at the back post who fired the ball wildly over the bar when he really should have hit the target.

The second half was not as open as the first but late on Sergio Aguero had another decent chance to extend the lead for City. Yaya Toure powered his way through the heart of the pitch and then found Aguero inside the penalty area before hitting a shot which found the side netting thanks to a Mannone save.

Into the last ten minutes and Santi Cazorla once again tested Joe Hart, this time the shot was hit with more conviction and Hart made a fantastic dive to his right hand side to keep City ahead.

From the resulting corner Arsenal equalised. Cazorla's corner was flicked on by Garcia and then it bounced into the path of Koscielny who lashed the ball home in his first game of the season. Cue the celebrations as every outfield player on the pitch bundled on Koscielny, a sign of the great unity and spirit in this seasons team.

The game was far from over as Tevez's corner was headed back into the box by Silva to Kompany who acrobatically found a shot on goal which was saved by Mannone. The ball then fell to Aguero from Koscielny's mistake but he missed from 6 yards out.

In the last minute of the match Gervinho had a great chance to win the game for Arsenal as he got into the penalty area before smashing the ball into the crowd.

The final score finished Manchester City 1-1 Arsenal.

The teams lineups: 

Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Toure, Garcia, Silva, Sinclair(46), Dzeko(68), Aguero(85).
Subs: Pantilimon, Nastasic, Kolarov, Barry, Rodwell(46), Tevez(68), Balotelli(85).

Arsenal: Mannone, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Diaby(71), Cazorla, Ramsey, Podolski(71), Gervinho(90). 
Subs: Martinez, Djourou, Santos, Coquelin(90), Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott(71), Giroud(71).

Man of the match: Per Mertesacker

Referee: Mike Dean
Attendance: 47,318