Mikel Arteta showered praise on Ethan Nwaneri after scoring a brace for Arsenal against Bolton Wanderers but cautioned him over making a start in the Premier League. 

Nwaneri struck either side of half-time in a game that saw the Gunners' youngsters star at the Emirates to help them advance to the fourth round of the EFL Cup. 

Jack Porter (16), Josh Nichols (18) and Myles Lewis-Skelly (18) also made their full debuts, while fellow teenagers Maldini Kacurri (18) and Ismeal Kabia (18) came off the bench to play their part. 

Goals from Declan Rice, Raheem Sterling - who scored his first Arsenal goal on his first start for the club - and Kai Havertz also contributed to the comfortable triumph. 

Arteta's side will face Preston North End in the next round, the stage they reached last season before being beaten 3-1 by West Ham at the London Stadium. 

But the Arsenal head coach was quick to laud his young players, particularly Nwaneri, who became the youngest player to appear in the Premier League against Brentford in 2022 at the age of 15 years and 181 days old. 

Now 17, Nwaneri has made four first-team appearances for the Gunners, with Arteta explaining that the teenager has surpassed his early expectations. 

"On the second one I was really happy for him because he scored. I'm very happy because I know the reaction of his teammates if he wouldn't," Arteta said. 

"So, I think overall, again, I think he was really good. I think it was a really strong performance for him. I think it really feels part of us.

"You can tell that he's playing with that confidence, that belief and the understanding of what he needs to do on the pitch.

“To start in the Premier League is another step. In his journey with the first team, he is always ahead of what everybody expected and I expected too.

"He deserves that, and he is part of us, so he will have the minutes. So, very impressed."

But it was also a positive night for one of Arsenal's senior players, with Sterling opening his account for his new club on his first start for the Gunners. 

Sterling contributed an expected goals (xG) tally of 0.85 to Arsenal's 3.03 total, with his three shots on target more than anyone for the hosts. 

With Arsenal's next assignment a home game against Leicester in the Premier League, Arteta believes Sterling is making the right steps in pushing for a first league start. 

"Yeah, it was very good. I think he's getting better and better. I think physically you can tell that he's making steps," Arteta continued. 

"The moment the game opened up a little bit, you know what he can do, how he can deliver. He was involved in a few goals, so a very positive night for him."

Ethan Nwaneri marked his first Arsenal start with a double as the Gunners swept aside League One side Bolton Wanderers 5-1 in the third round of the EFL Cup. 

While Nwaneri was one of the youngsters included in a line-up that featured 16-year-old goalkeeper Jack Porter, it was one of Arsenal's senior players that opened the scoring at Emirates Stadium, with Declan Rice curling in from the edge of the area.

The Gunners doubled their advantage eight minutes before the break, with Nwaneri sliding home to net his first senior Arsenal goal after being found by Raheem Sterling.

Nwaneri netted his second of the contest soon after the restart, with the youngster capitalising on a mistake by Chris Forino before squeezing the ball under Luke Southwood. 

Mikel Arteta's side were however undone by a free-flowing counter-attack from the visitors as Aaron Collins raced clear, rounded Porter and coolly slotted home to give the travelling fans something to cheer.

But their celebrations were short-lived, with Sterling scoring his first Arsenal goal before substitute Kai Havertz rounded off the rout.

Data Debrief: A nod to the future

Prior to this game, Nwaneri had made just three appearances for Arsenal, but this performance showed that his future is bright.

The 17-year-old scored with both of his shots on target, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) tally of 0.67 to the Gunners' 2.95 total, with only Sterling (0.85) managing more. 

In his club career, Sterling has now started a game alongside players born 30 years apart – Jamie Carragher in 2012-13 (born January 1978) and Porter (born July 2008) – before he has turned 30 himself, and he will be delighted to have opened his Gunners account.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is focusing on returning to action as soon as possible and feels fortunate his injury is not worse than it is.

Odegaard injured his ankle while on Norway duty two weeks ago and has missed Arsenal's three matches since, including Wednesday's EFL Cup tie with Bolton Wanderers.

Mikel Arteta confirmed this week that the midfielder will be "out for a while", but no timeframe has been given for his recovery.

Addressing his lay-off for the first time, Odegaard admits he was scared by the severity of the damage when first sustaining the injury.

"It was a bad twist to my ankle, and I damaged some ligaments there, but it’s part of football and now I'm just trying to recover as quickly as I can," he wrote in his programme notes for the Bolton tie.

"I'm moving forward, making progress and I'm feeling more positive every day. I'm  working hard and my only thought is to get back as soon as possible.

"I'm at the Sobha Realty Training Centre basically every day now, working hard and doing everything I can do to get better.

"I have to be careful not to push it too much, but at the same time do what I can to make sure I come back as strongly and quickly as possible. 

"I'm trying to support the team in a different way now, if I can't be on the pitch. That's my situation, and I have to make the best out of it.

"It's something I’m not used to. I've been quite fortunate, if that’s the word, or have done well to avoid injuries in the past, but this is football and I have to get on with it. 

"I think it was unfortunate to get the injury in the way that I did, but also it could have been worse. It was not a nice twist, and when it happened I felt it could be serious. 

"I've injured my ankle before and the pain felt a bit different this time. That's what scared me, but from what happened it could have been worse, so in that sense I got away with it a bit."

Odegaard started his side's opening three Premier League games and, while he has yet to register a goal or assist, he proved influential with five chances created - a tally only Bukayo Saka (eight) could better among Arsenal players.

Reports suggest the former Real Madrid player could return to action after the October international break, but the 25-year-old is himself still unsure how long he will be out.

"Like any player, the first thing I asked the medical team was how long I would be out for, but it's a bit tricky to say at the moment," he said. 

"In the early stages, it's crucial to get a proper rest and to make sure everything heals well. After that it’s about getting stronger and building it up again."

Arsenal follow up their EFL Cup third-round tie against Bolton with home games against Leicester City and Southampton in the Premier League, plus Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, prior to the international break.

Mikel Arteta joked he has told Arsenal's players to "play without the ball" after seeing Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard sent off for delaying restarts in recent weeks.

Arsenal were moments away from a famous win over Premier League title rivals Manchester City on Sunday despite playing over half the game with 10 men, after Trossard received a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.

However, John Stones' 98th-minute equaliser broke their resistance as they drew for the second time this term, having also drawn 1-1 with Brighton when Declan Rice saw red over a similar incident.

Arsenal's use of the "dark arts" has come in for criticism in the last few days, but Arteta has not warned his players against employing similar tactics in the future.

Asked if he had taken steps to avoid seeing another player dismissed for kicking the ball away, he said: "For passing the ball, you mean? 

"Just leave the ball. Don't touch the ball. We will play without the ball."

Asked if he had any new thoughts on Trossard's sending off, he said: "I reflected post-match, it's the same reflection today. It's the same answer. I was very clear about it."

Arsenal spent a total of nine minutes and four seconds on their goal-kicks in Sunday's match – the most by any team in a Premier League game this season. 

Meanwhile, the average delay at Arsenal restarts (goal-kicks, throw-ins and free-kicks) was 42.7 seconds, with only Aston Villa versus Wolves (47.3) taking longer this term. The Gunners' average delay time of 41.1 seconds against Brighton is third on that list.

Arteta, though, insists his team had no choice but to play that way when a man down, rejecting assertions that Arsenal push the limits more than any other side.

"I always prefer facts rather than words, so let's see who's available tomorrow and then we can talk about dark arts or these things," he said.

"We had to play the game that we had to play. In the first 10 or 15 minutes, we couldn't, then we got much better. 

"We were thrown into a very different context. Every team does it. They played 30 seconds with 10 men, you look at what they did. We had to do it in a different way.

"We learned from the past as well because unfortunately we've been in that situation with them three times very recently. I would be very thick if we didn't learn from it."

Arsenal host Bolton Wanderers in the third round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday, before taking on Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday.

Arsenal cannot tone down their use of the dark arts after their fiery draw with Manchester City without losing the fight Mikel Arteta has instilled, believes David James.

The Gunners were moments away from a famous win at the home of their Premier League title rivals on Sunday, with Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes scoring to put them 2-1 up.

However, Leandro Trossard's first-half red card – the result of the Belgian kicking the ball away when already on a booking – allowed City to dominate the second period and John Stones broke Arsenal hearts with a 98th-minute equaliser.

City managed 28 shots to Arsenal's one after the interval, also recording an 87.6% possession share as the Gunners completed a mere 29 passes.

The home fans were infuriated with perceived time-wasting from Arsenal, who spent a total of nine minutes and four minutes over their goal-kicks in the match – the most by any team in a Premier League game this season.

The average delay at Arsenal restarts (goal-kicks, throw-ins and free-kicks) was 42.7 seconds, with only Aston Villa versus Wolves (47.3) taking longer this term.

Arsenal's antics have got them into trouble of late, though, with Trossard's red card coming after Declan Rice was sent off for a similar incident in a 1-1 draw with Brighton.

Speaking to Stats Perform, James conceded Arsenal's ploys were frustrating but said it was part of their DNA.

"Declan Rice got booked yesterday as well for time-wasting," James said. "He had a free-kick, it was probably the longest spell Arsenal had in City’s half in the second half, I think for about 30 seconds! 

"I don't know how long he was on the ball for, but it seemed a short period of time to get the booking considering David Raya taking goal-kicks seemed to take an age. 

"I timed one incident where it was 25 seconds by the time he got off the floor and kicked the ball. I thought the rules were sort of within a reasonable amount of time. 

"This was repeated time and again, taking time over goal-kicks, but there was not even an instruction or an indication from the referee for him to speed things up.

"With regards to Arteta and the Arsenal players, I think it's actually quite wonderful. As much as it frustrates me because it's against the rules, it is quite wonderful that he wants his team to push the limits. 

"I think with that, you're going to end up with a few points, Trossard kicking the ball away and getting sent off or Declan Rice getting sent off. 

"If they tone that bit down, then they have to tone everything else down. Then possibly we don't see as exciting an Arsenal side as we have for the last couple of years."

Referee Michael Oliver had his work cut out on Sunday, with controversy over both of Arsenal's goals. 

City were unhappy with Arsenal taking a quick free-kick when Kyle Walker had been called over to speak to Oliver in the build-up to their equaliser, while some have suggested Gabriel Martinelli fouled Ederson when Gabriel headed in the Gunners' second.

"I thought the referee on the field got everything right," James said. "Trossard was booked for the second yellow card for kicking the ball away, not for the foul.

"When you see the replay, he boots the ball away after the whistle has gone. That's the booking, and it was his second booking, so that's a sending off. That's fine.

"With regard to Martinelli, I don't think Oliver would have seen it, and therefore, he wouldn't have been able to call that decision. 

"He stopped Ederson from getting the ball, therefore it shouldn’t be allowed. So, this isn’t an on-field issue. I think this is more about VAR."

David James believes Arsenal's blossoming rivalry with Manchester City can only intensify should they win the Premier League title this season. 

The latest instalment of Pep Guardiola squaring off against his apprentice, Mikel Arteta, delivered an enthralling encounter at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Erling Haaland's 100th City strike was followed by Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes goals, with Leandro Trossard then seeing red after delaying the restart in a pulsating first 45 minutes. 

The hosts struggled to make their man advantage count, though, registering eight shots on target from the 27 they attempted before substitute John Stones' late intervention snatched a point eight minutes into stoppage time.

But the aftermath of the contest saw tensions that had been brimming during the game boil over, with players from both sides exchanging in a war of words after a battle for the ages at the Etihad. 

It is not the first time Arsenal have engaged in a rivalry with a side from Manchester, having gone toe-to-toe at the Premier League summit with United in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Former City goalkeeper David James is adamant Guardiola's side hold the competitive edge over their title rivals, though, likening Arsenal to an "annoying fly" buzzing around to try and halt the Citizens' dominance. 

"I like the way this is developing. As you said, I think the rivalries in the past, probably the easiest one to go back to, is Arsenal and Manchester United," James told Stats Perform. 

"That was because Arsenal won the league, Manchester United won the league, and you’ve got champions against champions.

"I think with Arteta’s team at the moment, if they win the league, then this rivalry will intensify.

"At the moment, it’s kind of like Man City keeps swatting off an annoying fly because they keep winning the title."

However, it was another blot on Arteta's record against his mentor, with the Gunners head coach having won just one of his eight league meetings against Guardiola since his arrival at the club in 2019. 

Arsenal have finished runners-up to the Citizens in the past two Premier League seasons, missing out on a first title since 2003-04 by two points last term.

The Gunners managed to take four points off Guardiola's side last campaign, with Arteta earning his first league victory over City last September courtesy of Gabriel Martinelli's deflected effort. 

Arsenal showed more signs of their maturation before going down to 10 men on Sunday, recovering well after Haaland's ninth-minute opener - the earliest goal they had conceded home or away in the league in 2024.

Gabriel's header marked his 14th goal from a corner routine, while Calafiori became the 20th Arsenal player to net on his first Premier League start, and only the second to do so from outside the box after Fabio Vieira in September 2022. 

The encounter gave a brief insight into what the next eight months have in store, with James unsure whether the result would give either side the mental edge at this early stage of the campaign. 

"I think there will be an impact. Whether it’s positive or negative is the issue here," James continued. 

"For City, the issue will be how do we set up the corners to not allow these opportunities? If fouls are not going to get picked up by referees or VAR, then you need to rethink the way you set up because the first one for Gabriel, I think it was [Jeremy] Doku who was marking Gabriel.

"Mismatch to start with. The second one, Kyle Walker was there and effectively a mismatch again. So other teams will look at it and go, 'well, how can we set up?'

"Other teams, if they’re cute enough, will work out a way of defeating City on corners. Of course, get a corner first, then worry about getting it.

"But also, on a positive side, they can improve on this. When Jack Grealish came on, there was a different dynamic. Jack actually did stuff that I wasn’t expecting him to do. I thought he was going to get crosses on his right foot.

"Instead, he was running at players. He got the corner for the equaliser, and he also put the ball across to [Mateo] Kovacic. So there’s a lot for City to look at to improve on, which would make them better.

"From the Arsenal point of view, disappointment of losing three points in the end, I think 45 minutes of defending, there’s a lot that you’d be happy with.

"The fact that they got the goal from the corner, and unless VAR and the officials actually clamp down on what they’re doing, they’ll get more success from it."

The Premier League delivered another weekend of thrills and spills as the 2024-25 season really clicks into gear.

Manchester City fought back late on to draw 2-2 with Arsenal in the headline fixture of the weekend on Sunday.

Chelsea and Liverpool each claimed 3-0 wins, while Manchester United were frustrated by Crystal Palace.

Meanwhile, the bottom six teams in the league remain without a win, which is a Premier League first five games into a season.

But, what did the underlying metrics suggest about the weekend's action?

Unlucky loser: Man Utd

The data has thrown up an interesting storyline this week - there was not really a particularly unlucky loser or lucky winner.

Instead, the results that were most skewed were draws, with United one of the teams that can consider themselves unfortunate not to have picked up all three points.

They mustered 1.7 expected goals (xG) against Palace at Selhurst Park, having 15 shots and missing all five of their big chances. Only Tottenham (seven) created more big chances in total this weekend.

United had six shots on target, but found their former goalkeeper Dean Henderson in fine form, with Palace's expected goals on target (xGoT) conceded coming in at 1.9, showing just how well their shot-stopper performed.

Lucky winner: Arsenal

Drawing right at the death may have felt like a defeat for Arsenal, but it is fair to say the pressure had been building for Man City before John Stones steered home in the eighth minute of stoppage time.

Mikel Arteta's team, reduced to 10 men following Leandro Trossard's second booking on the stroke of half-time, set out their stall to defend for the second half, and they very nearly got over the line.

Yet City, who had 77.2% of the ball, were dominant. They had 28 shots in the second half alone, the joint-highest ever by a team on record (from 2003-04) in a single half of Premier League football.

City finished with 2.18 xG, while the Gunners recorded just 0.67 - that was the third-lowest figure across the league this weekend.

Unlucky loser: Southampton

Two of those six teams at the bottom still waiting for a first league win are Southampton and Ipswich Town, who faced off at St Mary's on Saturday.

Southampton looked all set to wrap up their maiden victory of 2024-25 until, late on, Sam Morsy's deflected effort left the hosts stunned.

Only Spurs (3.52) registered a higher xG in the league this round than Southampton (2.49), who missed three of their four big chances.

That being said, Ipswich did have more shots (13 to 11) and recorded 1.69 xG, which suggests the Tractor Boys were at least worthy of one goal.

Mikel Arteta labelled Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Manchester City as a "miracle" after spending 56 minutes down to 10 men following Leandro Trossard's dismissal.

Erling Haaland's 100th Manchester City goal had put the hosts in front in the ninth minute, only for Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes to turn the game on its head.

Despite their goal advantage at the break, the Gunners also entered the interval with a man less after Trossard was given his marching orders for a second yellow card. 

The visitors withstood an endless wave of City pressure, facing 28 shots in the second half before John Stones netted in the eighth minute of injury time. 

While Arsenal will leave the Etihad disappointed with not taking all three points, Arteta lauded his players for their efforts against "the best team in the world".

"I am so proud of the team. We played the game in a difficult context. Playing against the best team in the world," Arteta said. 

"After what happened, we went 2-1 up - it was a different story and I prefer not to make any comment about that [Leandro Trossard's red card].

"Obviously, it is already a miracle we played 56 minutes at the Etihad with 10 men. It is unbelievable what we have done."

However, Arteta was far less effusive about Michael Oliver's decision to show Trossard a second yellow card for delaying the restart after fouling Bernardo Silva.

Since the Spaniard's first game in charge of the Gunners, he has seen 17 players red carded in the Premier League - at least four more than any other club.

"It is very obvious, I don't need to talk about it. I think the red card is very clear, very obvious what people think," Arteta continued. 

"It is not my job to come here and judge what happened.

"My job is to survive in one of the most difficult environments there is in football for 55 minutes and try to get things done to survive.

"The rest is not my job, but it has already happened twice in five games, which is very worrying to see in the best league, the Premier League.

"[The red card] makes the situation impossible. It is very, very hard to play with 11 players, with ten it is impossible.

"With ten you have to defend your six-yard box time and time again."

It was a frustrating afternoon for the reigning champions, with Pep Guardiola's side restricted to very little by Arsenal's stern defensive resolve. 

The Gunners averaged just 12.5% possession after the break, with City failing to make their advantage count until the last kick of an enthralling encounter. 

In Arsenal's attempts to halt the City onslaught, a number of players went down with cramp, much to the frustration of the home faithful packed inside the Etihad. 

"I don't know how many [Arsenal] players went down with cramp, but that can of course happen in a demanding game," Guardiola added. 

"We crossed and crossed and had Ruben [Dias], Manuel [Akanji], Erling [Haaland] but when you cross they have Declan Rice, William Saliba, Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori, so it is so difficult.

"There were ten players there. In the end, we got what we deserved.

"Maybe I would have done the same because it is with ten men. You have to ask Mikel [Arteta] what the tactic was.

"They were good with the long balls into Kai Havertz who is so strong and they go for the second balls.

"In the end we were patient, had the chances and got the goal. That's all."

John Stones believes Manchester City showed great composure to keep their cool in the face of Arsenal's 'dark arts'.

Stones scored a 98th-minute leveller as the spoils were shared in a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

City took an early lead through Erling Haaland's 100th goal for the club, though after Rodri sustained a nasty-looking knee injury, Riccardo Calafiori opened his account for Arsenal with a sensational equaliser.

Gabriel Magalhaes' towering header put Arsenal ahead, but Leandro Trossard saw red on the stroke of half-time, paving the way for City to dominate the second half.

Yet they could not find the breakthrough until Mateo Kovacic's shot rebounded to substitute Stones, who steered in from close range. It was City's latest goal scored on record (from 2006-07) in a Premier League match, and came from their 28th shot of the second half, the joint-second highest ever by a side on record in a single half of football in the competition.

The match was played at full-throttle, and with plenty of controversy, but Stones thought City kept their heads.

"[Arsenal] used the side of football that not many teams do – make it difficult, slow it down, get people on the floor," Stones told Sky Sports.

"We had to control our emotions and I think we did. We come away with a point, when it could have been us losing three points. We'll review it, we've got a game in two days which is fast, but how we fought until the end is a credit to us.

"I don't know if they've mastered [the dark arts] – we know what to expect, you can call it clever or dirty, whichever way you want to put it.

"They break up the game, it upsets the rhythm for everyone, they used it to their advantage and I thought we dealt with it really well. It's not easy when those things happen, when you try to get level, but we controlled our emotions really well.

"Everyone expects, watching a big game like this, there to be drama, but when you're in it you want to be level-headed. I thought we did that. It was a day to review and take a lot of positives from.

"For the past few years we've had a rivalry that's grown, one we always want to come out on top [in]. We always want to come away with three points, but how we managed the game and came away with a vital point is something we should be proud of."

City's dominance was evident in the full-time stats. Arsenal recorded just 22% possession, their second-lowest on record (from 2003-04) in a Premier League game (after 20% vs Man City in August 2021). The Gunners averaged just 12.5% possession in the second half.

That being said, Pep Guardiola had to revert to a route one approach late on.

"[Guardiola] wanted me to play closer to Erling to play high up the pitch, get more crosses in and win a few aerial duels," explained Stones.

"It's so interchangeable, so fluid in movement. I tried to go on and get in the right areas, and it fell for me, luckily."

John Stones snatched a last-gasp equaliser as Premier League title rivals Manchester City and 10-man Arsenal drew 2-2 in a thrilling, fiery clash at the Etihad Stadium.

The Gunners looked all set to claim a statement win on Sunday, until City substitute Stones finished from point-blank range deep into second-half stoppage time.

Erling Haaland’s 100th City goal handed the hosts a deserved advantage early on, only for Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes to give the Gunners a half-time lead, albeit one that was soured by Leandro Trossard’s dismissal in stoppage time.

For the majority of the second half, it looked as though City would not be able to make their numerical advantage count, with David Raya on top form in Arsenal’s goal.

Yet Raya was beaten when Stones latched onto a rebound six yards out, with City claiming a potentially vital point that sent them back to the summit, while Arsenal sit fourth.

There was also concern for the hosts in the first half, with Rodri limping off after 20 minutes following a tangle with Thomas Partey inside the penalty area. 

Data Debrief: Game of Stones

Stones proved to be the man of the hour for the hosts, with his 17th City goal perhaps his most important so far. 

The defender's equaliser in the 98th minute was City's latest goal scored on record (from 2006-07) in a Premier League match.

It came from the hosts' 28th shot of the second half, the joint-second most ever by a side on record (from 2003-04) in a single half of Premier League football, behind Man City’s 34 vs QPR in May 2012.

Until Stones’ late intervention, Haaland had scored each of City's last eight Premier League goals; only Alan Shearer for Blackburn in October / November 1993 (nine in a row) has ever scored more in succession for a club in the competition.

Manchester City were dealt a potentially huge blow as they lost Rodri to an apparent knee injury 20 minutes into Sunday's clash with Arsenal.

Erling Haaland's 100th City goal put Pep Guardiola's team ahead at the Etihad Stadium in the weekend's headline Premier League encounter.

However, key midfielder Rodri - who was making his first league start of the season - was soon down on the turf after taking a tumble in the penalty area.

Rodri went down under pressure from Thomas Partey, though replays showed there was no blame to be attached to the Arsenal man.

City's medical staff treated Rodri's right knee before the Spain international - who this week hit out at the hectic fixture schedule - was taken off and replaced by Mateo Kovacic.

Just 36 seconds later, Arsenal drew level through Riccardo Calafiori's stunning effort.

Rodri had been in the thick of it from the off, as he went down in the opening seconds, clutching his neck and face after a collision with Kai Havertz.

The former Atletico Madrid man played 50 times for City in all competitions last season, missing just nine games.

However, such is his importance to Guardiola's team, their win percentage dropped from 76% to 55.6% without Rodri in the side, with their points per game dropping from 2.5 to 1.7.

"I witnessed two of the best saves I've ever seen in my career," were the words of Mikel Arteta following David Raya's heroics in Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Atalanta.

The Gunners kickstarted their Champions League campaign with a point, but the result could have been much different if not for Raya's stunning intervention.

Atalanta had the opportunity to take the lead six minutes into the second half when Ederson was brought down by Thomas Partey inside the area. 

Mateo Retegui assumed responsibility from 12 yards, only to see Raya dive to his right to save before springing back to his feet to deny the Italian's header on the follow-up. 

"I witnessed two of the best saves I've ever seen in my career from David in that moment," Arteta said.

"If you can't win, you have to take the point. We started well, then we lost control and were very inconsistent. We didn't suffer defensively, apart from the penalty."

Raya's heroics even drew praise from Arteta's opposite number, Gian Piero Gasperini, who described the double save as "unbelievable".

"He's a cat. The first save is good but the rebound is unbelievable. The goalkeeper has been crucial," Gasperini said. 

The Spaniard became just the fourth Arsenal goalkeeper to save a spot-kick in the Champions League, after Richard Wright, Jens Lehmann and Lukasz Fabianski (all two).

Raya has now also saved four of the last eight penalties he has faced in all competitions, including shoot-outs, having conceded 19 in a row beforehand. 

But the Arsenal goalkeeper remained modest in light of his involvement on what proved to be a difficult night for the Gunners.  

"It was just a penalty, and I was lucky to go the right way," Raya started.

"I was unlucky that the rebound went straight to him, but I was quick enough to get up and save it.

"It is fantastic to be able to keep the clean sheet and to help the team to get at least a point.

"We know this is a tough place to come, they are a magnificent team and put a lot of pressure on us.

"We made it very difficult for them as well, they did not create many chances, the penalty and that's it.

"It's a point away from home in the first game of the Champions League. We could have played better, but I thought we managed the game well.

"We weren't at our best so if we cannot win the game, let's not lose it."

Despite the point at the Gewiss Stadium, Arteta was left wanting more from his players, who struggled in the attacking third against last season's Europa League winners.

The Gunners attempted just six shots against Atalanta, their fewest in a Champions League away game in 10 years, since having just five shots against Borussia Dortmund in 2014.

Arsenal have also now failed to score in three consecutive Champions League away games for the first time since February 2007, while they’re winless in four-straight games (D2 L2) on the road in the competition for the first time since September 2011 (D1 L3).

With a trip to Premier League champions Manchester City this weekend, Arteta is looking for a response from his squad. 

"We had moments with the ball but we never got it into dominance or threat," he said.

"The first 25 minutes we read their approach really good. After that we lost control of the game."

Having won an unprecedented fourth straight Premier League title last season, Manchester City have wasted no time in stealing a march on their rivals in 2024-25.

As the only team to register a perfect four wins from four matches, City already boast a two-point lead over their closest challengers, the identity of whom also comes as no surprise.

Such has been City's brilliance, that amassing 173 points across the last two seasons has not been enough for Arsenal to end their long wait for a Premier League crown.

However, last week's North London Derby victory over Tottenham saw them display all the hallmarks of potential champions, keeping their fierce rivals at arm's length in a composed performance as Gabriel Magalhaes' header made the difference. 

But can the Gunners go one step further and do what they could not last season – win at the Etihad Stadium?

Ahead of the biggest game of the season to date, we dive into the Opta data to bring you the best facts and figures surrounding both teams.

What's expected?

Given City's fearsome record at home to Arsenal, it comes as no surprise to see the Opta supercomputer make them favourites.

City are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League home games against the Gunners, winning seven and drawing two since a 2-0 defeat back in January 2015.

Across 10,000 pre-match simulations conducted by the supercomputer, City were victorious in 58.6%, with Arsenal only taking the spoils in 19.8% of scenarios.

A repeat of March's draw between the teams, which was not enough for Arsenal to get over the line in the title race, is assigned a 21.6% likelihood.

Whatever happens, something has to give on Sunday. City have won each of their last 13 Premier League matches, and there have only ever been six cases of a team winning 14 or more in a row. 

City – and current boss Pep Guardiola – are responsible for half of those instances, winning 18 straight in 2017, 15 in a row in 2019 and the same amount in 2021.

Arsenal, though, have not trailed at any stage in their last 11 away Premier League matches. They could become the first team in the competition's history to go 12 straight road games without falling behind, with Aston Villa also enjoying an 11-game run back in 1998.

Haaland the centurion?

Erling Haaland was frustrated as City fired a blank in their midweek Champions League opener versus Inter, going close twice in the first half but failing to bring up his 100th goal for the club.

The Norwegian reached 99 goals in City blue with a brace in last weekend's comeback win over Brentford, and he has now scored a scarcely believable nine goals in four Premier League games this season.

Eight of those have come in his last three league outings – hat-tricks versus Ipswich Town and West Ham, and a double against Brentford. 

In Premier League history, only Luis Suarez has ever scored multiple goals in four straight appearances, netting one hat-trick and three braces in a tremendous run for Liverpool in December 2013.

Another goal here would also see Haaland smash the record for the fewest games taken to reach double figures for Premier League goals at the start of a season, with Mick Quinn in 1992-93 and Haaland himself in 2022-23 previously doing so in six outings.

Haaland's overall tally of 72 Premier League goals – which have come in just 70 appearances – places him third in City's all-time goalscoring charts in the competition, behind only Sergio Aguero (184) and Raheem Sterling (91) – who could line up for Arsenal on Sunday after arriving on loan from Chelsea.

Should Haaland find the net on Sunday, which could be his 105th appearance for City overall, he would match the number of games Cristiano Ronaldo required to hit a ton of goals for Real Madrid.

For further context, Lionel Messi needed 188 to bring up a century for Barcelona, Robert Lewandowski required 136 at Bayern Munich and City legend Aguero took 158 matches.

With the pretenders to City's throne in town, what better time for Haaland to bring up yet another goalscoring landmark?

Fortune favours the brave?

Arsenal did come out on top in their duels with City last season, taking four points via a 1-0 home win and their hard-fought goalless draw at the Etihad. 

That is double the number they managed in their previous 15 league meetings with the Citizens, recording two draws and 13 defeats. 

Both Guardiola and Mikel Arteta were cautious in their Easter-Day draw, with many onlookers berating the sight of eight (yes, eight) recognised centre-backs starting in a game that produced a mere 1.68 expected goals (xG) in total. 

Arsenal managed two clean sheets against Guardiola's men last term, having conceded in 16 straight against them beforehand, shipping 40 goals in total in that run.

Arsenal then followed that draw by winning eight of their last nine games of the season, only slipping up in a 2-0 home loss to Aston Villa, but it was not enough. For a team trying to dethrone City, it often feels as though nothing is.

If the Gunners are to make it third time lucky in their pursuit of title glory this term, they may need to take both of their chances to beat City.

While Arteta figured out a way to contain City in 2023-24, his team must show more attacking enterprise on Sunday than they did on their last trip to the Etihad, when their six shots totalled just 0.66 xG. That was their fewest attempts in a single Premier League fixture since November 2021, when they had five in a 4-0 loss at Liverpool.

Arsenal also managed just 15 touches in City's box to their opponents' 40, their fewest in any Premier League match last season, while only at Bournemouth (28 in a ruthless 4-0 win) did they play fewer passes into the final third last term (36).

The Gunners have been steady, rather than spectacular, through their opening four matches of the season, ranking joint-14th in the Premier League for shots (45) and 14th for xG (4.99) despite having the fourth-most touches in opposition areas (140).

Loathe as he may be to do so, Arteta might need to take the handbrake off on Sunday.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Manchester City – Jeremy Doku

Doku was limited to the role of substitute as City were kept at bay by Inter on Wednesday, but it would be no surprise to see Guardiola inject his electric pace from the off here.

The Belgium international leads all players in the Premier League this season for total progress upfield during carries (747.81 metres) and ranks second for progressive carries (64), behind only Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke (66). In fact, he is the only non-centre-back to make the top seven for that particular metric.

Arsenal – Bukayo Saka

Saka has been involved in five of Arsenal's six Premier League goals so far this season (one goal, four assists), assisting a goal in all four games so far.

In Premier League history, only Gunners great Thierry Henry (2004-05) has provided an assist in each of a team's first five matches in a season.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya secured his side a hard-earned point with a sensational double save from a penalty as they drew 0-0 at Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday.

Spaniard Raya dived low to his right to beat away Mateo Retegui's spot-kick in the 51st minute then sprang across his goal to claw away the forward's follow-up header.

That was the most dramatic moment of an otherwise tepid affair in Bergamo, as Mikel Arteta's team produced a gritty away performance against the Europa League holders.

The closest Arsenal came to scoring was a first-half free-kick by Bukayo Saka that was saved well by Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi, while Gabriel Martinelli blasted over the crossbar to cap a rare Gunners attack after the break. 

La Dea, meanwhile, went close to taking all three points when Juan Cuadrado sent a curling effort narrowly wide of the far corner with 67 minutes on the clock.

Arsenal's next Champions League fixture is a heavyweight clash with Paris Saint-Germain on October 1, while Atalanta go to Shakhtar Donetsk the following day.

Data Debrief: Raya heroics key for Arsenal

In a game where Arsenal struggled going forwards, only generating six attempts at goal worth 0.79 expected goals (xG), the Gunners needed Raya to come up trumps.

He became just the fourth Arsenal goalkeeper to save a penalty in the Champions League, after Richard Wright, Jens Lehmann and Lukasz Fabianski (twice).

Including shoot-outs, he has now kept out four of the last eight penalties he has faced in all competitions, having conceded each of the previous 19 he faced.

Mikel Arteta confirmed Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard will be out "for a while" after suffering a significant ankle injury while playing for Norway.

The 25-year-old hobbled off during his country's Nations League 2-1 win over Austria in Oslo on September 9 and returned to London on crutches.

Odegaard missed Sunday's 1-0 derby victory against Tottenham and Arteta revealed the bad news on the midfielder ahead of Arsenal's opening Champions League game away to Atalanta.

"The scans showed that he's got some damage especially on one of the ligaments in the ankle," the Arsenal manager said on Wednesday.

"It's something quite significant so we're going to lose him for a while."

Arteta, whose side are second in the league and two points behind Manchester City, said he hoped it would not be months "but let's see".

Odegaard has become a key player for Arsenal, missing only a handful of games over the last three seasons, and a lengthy absence will come as a huge blow.

"He's our captain. He's been one of the biggest and best players in our team," continued Arteta.

"Our identity is very linked to how he plays and behaves. It's a big test for the team to see how able we are to show a different face."

Norway coach Stale Solbakken told VG newspaper he had been fully updated about the injury and was "preparing for a life without Martin".

"We have to take it week by week and day by day. Some types of damage go faster and some go slower," he said.