The arrival of David Hytner’s match report is my signal to shut this blog down and enjoy a bit of Celebrity Catchphrase. Thanks for your company, goodnight! A beaming Mikel Arteta speaks to Sky Sports So proud. We had to make it happen. We knew there would be moments when we had to suffer, and it was a big, big performance. We were really aggressive in the second half and the changes really helped – they gave us a new energy. It’s not easy to get out against a high press. What I like is the courage: if it doesn’t happen, keep doing it, keep doing it; that’s the team we are. The crowd need to understand that and not shout at the players (I think that’s what he said) – it’s my fault! David Raya was excellent. I love players with big courage, and he certainly has… big ones. [Gabriel Martinelli] is another one with big ones as well. Nobody expected him to be fit – the physios weren’t really having it - but he said yesterday he was available, then Leo [Trossard] got injured, I looked around and he already dressed and ready to go. He’s just a joy. This game is just part of the journey. You learn from every defeat, every win. The players are a joy to work with; they deserve to live this moment. Bernardo Silva talks to Sky Sports It’s a setback, but it’s still the beginning. We’re far away from the end of the season. Against a top opponent at the Emirates, it’s never easy to play. The game was tough for both teams, it could have gone either way. It was decided in a detail, by a deflection. In my opinion we gave them too much time to think and put the ball in behind. We have to be a bit more intense in the way we press in those moments. It is what it is; it’s part of football. I’m comfortable playing as a No6. It’s not my natural position but I’m comfortable, especially with the ball. It’s something I’m used to doing, so I don’t think it’s a big thing. Last season I was more uncomfortable playing as a left-back than I was today as a No6. Last season we won the Treble, and there was a point in the season when nothing was going our way. You have these moments. It’s the way you overcome them that defines what you are and who you are. Erling Haaland didn’t have a shot on or off target, which is a triumph for Gabriel, Saliba and indeed Rice and Jorginho. Arsenal got lucky at the end but their defensive excellence gave them the chance to do so. The Gabriels talk to Sky Sports Martinelli “I’m not the man. Everyone has played a part in this victory. I scored the goal but it was down to the whole team, the staff and the fans as well. Luckily I was able to return for this game and I’m so happy with the victory. It gives us more confidence.” Jesus “[Is that worth more than three points?] For sure. Everyone knows how hard it is to play against them. But I’ve said before, it’s not impossible to beat them. It’s our home and we had to try everything to win. I’ve very happy for Gabi. Congrats for everyone. [He looks utterly shattered] It’s not easy playing 90 minutes three times in a week, but I did it. I think my fitness is back and I was fighting everywhere to help the team. All the team played amazingly and we won the game.” A date for the diary Sunday 31 March (probably): Man City v Arsenal. The updated league table “Mate, I’m just copying Pep” “I don’t think I can take another season of hope,” writes Kári Tulinius. “But I’ll enjoy their warm feeling tonight.” Kyle Walker has just squared up to a security official who was trying to usher him down the tunnel. Erling Haaland seemed to be involved as well, though it calmed down pretty quickly. Arsenal have beaten Manchester City in the Premier League for the first time since December 2015. More importantly, they’ve ended a run of 12 consecutive defeats and told their collective subconscious that there’s nothing to fear. We’ll find out over the next eight months whether they’re right, but for now they get to bathe in the glory of a huge victory. Mikel Arteta is beaming as he walks round the pitch congratulating his players and applauding the fans. It was an awful game, cagey and crotchety, which was settled by Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected shot in the 87th minute. A word too for Declan Rice, who was outstanding in midfield. Full time: Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City What an excellent day for an exorcism. 90+3 min Jesus kicks the ball away, then Ederson shoves him over. Both are booked. 90+2 min Gvardiol overhits a pass to Doku. City have been very poor in the final third; in fact Raya still hasn’t had a save to make, though Rice – the player of the match IMO – did head off the line in the first few minutes. 90+1 min The last time City lost consecutive league games was to Crystal Palace and Leicester in December 2018. Yeah. they won the league that year too. 90 min There are only four minutes of added time. 89 min The fans are gleefully sing “1-0 to the Arsenal”, a song from a different lifetime. After 12 consecutive league defeats to Manchester City, this would bring all kinds of catharsis. 88 min Three substitutes combined for that goal, which will give Mikel Arteta all kinds of pleasure. The goal has been awarded to Martinelli, whose shot was apparently on target. I suspect Ederson would have saved it, but the deflection gave him no chance. It was a crap goal, befitting the game, and Arsenal will not care one bit about that. A long ball into the box from Partey was headed down by Tomiyasu to his fellow substitute Havertz. He laid the ball off invitingly to Martinelli, whose first-time shot from 20 yards took a huge deflection off Ake and wrongfooted Ederson. GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Man City (Martinelli 87) Gabriel Martinelli has broken the hoodoo! 85 min Theer’s a VAR check for an Arsenal penalty when Jesus stumbles over Ake in the area. Nothing doing. 83 min “Seeing Alex Ferguson in that clip from Turkey reminded me of the sad news that came through about his wife Cathy during the week, Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “I think many fans often forget, or maybe don’t even consider, the fact that players, and managers, are human and have families. I’m thinking of Harry Maguire in particular, but he’s far from the only one. Football is a very tribal game, and passions run high, but as we say up here, we’re a’ Jock Tamson’s bairns at the end of the day.” 80 min Both teams are more conscious of defeat than victory, which I guess is understandable. Nunes surges forward and plays a slick one-two with Haaland, but Rice gets back to make a fine sliding challenge on the edge of the area. 78 min A late goal for either team would be against the run of play. 77 min Odegaard wins a corner off Doku. Odegaard akes himself, whipping an inswinger that is headed away very well by Kyle Walker. He’s been immaculate. 76 min “Thank God Michael Oliver kept it as 11 v 11,” writes Gary Naylor. “A red card would have denied us this fantastic spectacle!” 76 min: Triple substitution for Arsenal Takehiro Tomiyasu, Thomas Partey and Kai Havertz replace Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jorginho and Eddie Nketiah. That probably means Havertz will play up front. 75 min Odegaard shoots high and wide from 25 yards. 74 min Nunes’s corner is claimed with authority by Raya, who has had a much calmer second half. 74 min Doku, who has energised City since coming on, has moved to the left to test White. He gallops into the area and drives a cross that the sliding White puts behind for a corner. 72 min “For some reason I always take a look at City’s lineup to see if Kalvin Phillips makes the first team as a giggle,” says Joe Balfour. “I know City have so much quality but do you think he’s the new Danny Drinkwater? Pep just doesn’t want him, nobody except Southgate seems to rate him. Is Phillips that bad or just at the wrong club?” Wrong club IMO. He’ll be a very good player for somebody next season. It is a bit strange though – today suggests he’s the sixth-choice No6. 71 min Now Arsenal are preparing to make a triple substitution: Tomiyasu, Havertz and Partey. 69 min Doku dazzles Zinchenko with some fancy footwork, but his low cross is cleared by Gabriel at the near post. This is City’s best spell of the second half. 69 min Stones is playing as a No6 rather than stepping in from centre-back. Doku has started on the right. 68 min: Triple substitution for City John Stones, Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes replace Rico Lewis (who was pretty good), Mateo Kovacic and Julian Alvarez. 66 min Alvarez’s corner is punched away emphatically by Raya, who interestingly went with only one fist, just like Eric Cantona. 65 min After a long spell of City possession, Dias’s cross towards Lewis is headed behind by White. 64 min Pep Guardiola is about to make a triple substitution: Doku, Stones and Nunes are coming on (I think). 63 min When an Arsenal corner is half cleared, Zinchenko locates Row J from distance. 63 min This game is starting to resemble the cagey goalless draw between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield five years ago yesterday. That result ultimately cost Liverpool the title, I guess. 61 min “Is Haaland playing?” writes Jeff Sax. “He has had no effect on the game so far.” He just fell over, which the home fans very much enjoyed. The quieter he is, the more worried I’d probably be as an Arsenal supporter. 59 min The left-back Gvardiol has arguably been City’s most purposeful attacker so far, which is another thing I didn’t expect to type today. 58 min City suddenly spring into action. Alvarez releases the overlapping Gvardiol, who fizzes a square ball to Foden just inside the area. He can’t sort his feet out for a shot so instead lays it back to Alvarez, whose first-time shot is well blocked by Gabriel. He and Saliba have been excellent. 57 min City make a total Horlicks of the free-kick. 56 min Lewis puts the ball in the Arsenal net, though Michael Oliver had long since penalised Martinelli for fouling him 30 yards from goal. He handled it anyway so there’s no controversy here, it gives me great pleasure ro report. 55 min Odegaard chips a seductive ball into Nketiah, back to goal in the area. Dias holds him up expertly and that’s the end of that.