Man City 1-1 Arsenal: Gunners grab late draw

A late Laurent Koscielny goal grabbed Arsenal a deserved draw at Manchester City and prolonged their unbeaten start to the season.

And if Gervinho had packed his shooting boots for the Gunners’ visit to the Premier League champions then they could have comfortably won an entertaining match.

But in the end they were forced to come from behind, after Joleon Lescott had headed City in front before half time, and settle for just a point.

Arsenal had the best of the early exchanges, their passing game leaving City chasing shadows.

After 15 minutes Gervinho broke through one-on-one with Joe Hart but a heavy first touch allowed the City goalkeeper to snuff out any danger easily.

Ten minutes later Carl Jenkinson took advantage of space on the right to play in Lukas Podolski but the German fired well over from a good position.

Gervinho again went close and was only denied by a good challenge by Gael Clichy, while Podolski attempt to send Abou Diaby through on goal was thwarted.

Against the run of play City slipped into the lead five minutes before the break, Lescott rising to head home a David Silva corner.

Roberto Mancini attempted to stop City’s midfield being overrun by swapping Jack Rodwell for Scott Sinclair at half time and the ploy worked for a while but the introduction of Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud for Arsenal provided the pressure which earned an equaliser.

Hart was forced to turn behind a Santi Cazorla effort from distance but Koscielny poked in from close range from the resulting corner.

On his return to first-team football Sergio Aguero was a constant threat for the hosts as was Silva, but they couldn't carve out the chance they needed against a newly-tightened Arsenal rearguard.

Gervinho spurned one more effort before the end, firing high and wide as a path to goal opened up in front of him.

That point leaves City in seventh and lifts Arsenal to fifth.