5
View
comments
Arsenal will no doubt look back at a remarkable passage of play in the second half with regret which saw their match against Manchester City dramatically turn on its head.
The Gunners had impressed in the first half and led the champions 1-0 at half-time following Bukayo Saka's strike, having also been denied a penalty after Ederson's challenge on Martin Odegaard.
But City were given the chance to equalise from the spot ten minutes into the second half after intervention from VAR, when referee Stuart Attwell decided to overturn his original decision following Granit Xhaka's tackle on Bernardo Silva.
Arsenal's four-minute meltdown cost them a result despite an impressive display against Manchester City
The Gunners were 1-0 up when Granit Xhaka challenged Bernardo Silva inside the box
Referee Stuart Attwell initially waved away penalty appeals following the Swiss' challenge
Mahrez then equalised from the spot in the 57th minute following the delay while Attwell checked the monitor, before the boos rang out in the Emirates Stadium, with fans aggrieved the challenge on Odegaard was not checked in similar fashion. But that was only the beginning of the four-minute drama.
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes was subsequently booked after replays showed he had tried to scuff up the penalty spot prior to the Algerian's kick, although Gunners assistant boss Albert Stuivenberg claimed post-match the caution was given for a remark to the referee after Mahrez's penalty was awarded.
But the hosts could easily have re-taken the lead just 60 seconds later.
A mix-up in City's backline saw Nathan Ake have to clear the ball off the line, but the ball fell kindly to forward Gabriel
