Arsenal’s CRAZY four-minute meltdown! Gunners fall apart after Gabriel Magalhaes is sent off

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 10c 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.

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 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.

However 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 Martinelli, who – with the goal seemingly gaping – could only strike the ball first time against the outside of the post.

But it would get even worse for the home side when centre back Gabriel made it two yellow cards in 78 seconds when he cynically brought down compatriot Gabriel Jesus inside the centre circle, and was subsequently given his marching orders. 

The 24-year-old’s dismissal was also the Gunners’ 100th Premier League sending off, the first team in the competition to reach this total, and saw Odegaard sacrificed for Rob Holding as a result to shore up their backline.

But that was not the end of the Gunners’ heartache either, as City midfielder Rodri netted in the third minute of stoppage time to secure a 2-1 win for City and continue their excellent unbeaten top-flight record against the Gunners since December 2015.

Arsenal’s defeat will not see them fall from fourth this weekend regardless of results elsewhere, but Pep Guardiola’s men are now 11 points clear of Chelsea at the top of the table following their win at the Emirates.

Guardiola admitted Arsenal were the better side, adding: ‘We face a team who had six or seven days since the last game. 

‘We had two days and come back and didn’t have a team. that’s why we put one more player in the middle. It was difficult, we didn’t have energy.’

Arsenal midfielder Odegaard meanwhile said: ‘The feeling is not good. I think we played a great game, we managed to play our game, we put them under pressure, we scored the first goal and I feel we controlled the game pretty well. We had three situations go against us so it’s hard to take.’

Gunners goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale agreed, stating: ‘Both penalties, I don’t know why the ref is told to see one and not the other. 

‘It is there for a reason, go and use it. It is the inconsistency. The whole point is to help the game out, in real time it didn’t look like one and slow it down on a screen and it is given.’