Manchester City vs Arsenal player ratings, but with maximum masala. If you watched with popcorn and a lotta confusion, you’re not alone. Pep Guardiola woke up and chose violence, 32.8% possession, a parked bus, and wild substitutions. Arsenal pressed CTRL+Z, and Martinelli was like, “Picture abhi baaki hai, mere dost!” Here’s the slide-by-slide on who slayed, who snoozed, and why both teams probably feel like they lost two points.

1. Pep’s Plot Twist: Introducing the ‘Parking The Bus’ Mixtape

  • Pep said possession shmossession and dropped a tactical BOMB. City held just 32.8% possession, the lowest ever in Pep’s top-flight era. By the 68th minute, defensive subs rolled in harder than Diwali sweets at your nani’s house, Ake for Foden, and even Haaland got the early hook. City’s shape went full ‘don’t concede’ mode, a strategy that had old-school Mourinho screaming “copycat!”
Pep’s low‑block era, debut single out now.

Image courtesy Bitter and Blue

2. Erling Haaland: Scorer By Day, Early Leaver By Night

  • Boss, badi jaldi pack-up ho gaya! Haaland did what Haaland does, scored on 9 minutes, two touches, pure striker’s finish off a Reijnders through ball. Then, randomly in the 76th, Pep went all Bigg Boss and “evicted” him for Nico González, leaving City strikerless when Arsenal were throwing kitchen sinks. That’s like starting with Maggi masala and then deciding on plain dal-chawal mid-meal. Even Pep admitted they were “resilient jugadu,” but all-out defending? Shaayad not it.
Scored early, subbed earlier.

Image courtesy Haalandstats.com

3. City’s Backline: 90 Mins Of Jugaad, One Minute Of ‘Abe Yaar’

  • Ruben Dias, Gvardiol, and Donnarumma spent the night with full “maa kasam, kuch nahi hone denge” energy. City’s low block held Arsenal at bay for ages, with Donnarumma pulling out key saves, especially after halftime. But oh, one hopeful ball in stoppage time, and Martinelli slipped through, the script writers went full Bollywood, everyone else went facepalm. Even City’s own match report called it harsh after holding the lead so long.

4. Arsenal’s Martinelli: Main Character Energy, Cameo Timing

  • The super-sub story you want on Netflix. 90+3′, Eze lobs, Martinelli pounces, and suddenly it’s equaliser o’clock in North London. Arsenal are officially the kings of last-minute sub goals. Martinelli’s got special plot armor for City fixtures. Even Pep had to admit Arsenal straight up out-played City on the day. Bollywood main character energy, full end-credit feels.
90+3 and vibes: Martinelli the menace.

Image courtesy Deccan Herald

5. The Ratings Heat-Map: No Decimal, Sirf Scene

  • City: Haaland (7/10) for the early strike, but minus points for mysterious early night; Gvardiol and Dias (7.5/10) kept things tidy, Donnarumma (8/10) did lajawab saves; Reijnders gets an assist badge; Bernardo and Foden were sacrificed for defensive jugaad.
  • Arsenal: Saliba (8/10) was literal granite, Eze (super-sub 8/10) changed the vibe, and Martinelli (9/10) with the equaliser mic drop. Form wins, not agenda.
  • FYI: After 5 games, Liverpool top the table, City are awkwardly chilling mid-pack at seven points.

So yeah, City tried the ‘defend first, think later’ meta, but Arsenal just farmed classic script in stoppage time!