Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to score a dramatic 93rd-minute equaliser as Arsenal salvaged a 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Erling Haaland’s ninth-minute opener looked set to hand City victory and condemn the Gunners to a second defeat in five Premier League matches. But Martinelli, who has now scored in back-to-back games after his midweek Champions League heroics against Athletic Club, once again proved decisive for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Arsenal boss Arteta praised the impact of his substitutes, saying: “Our finishers could be more important than the starting XI; that belief was again backed up today.”

The result lifts Arsenal to second in the table, five points behind leaders Liverpool, while City remain in ninth, eight points adrift.

Haaland’s strike, his 13th goal in just eight games this season, came after he started a sweeping move from deep before finishing coolly past David Raya. At the other end, new City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma denied Noni Madueke and later Eberechi Eze as Arsenal pushed for a response.

Pep Guardiola turned to defensive reinforcements in the second half, withdrawing Haaland and Phil Foden to protect the lead. However, the gamble backfired when Martinelli raced onto Eze’s lofted pass and looped a clever finish over Donnarumma to snatch a point for the hosts.

“We don’t try to be like this, but when the opponent is better, we defend deeper and counter-attack,” Guardiola said.