Rodri scored a 93rd-minute winner as Manchester City took another huge step towards retaining the Premier League title with a 2-1 win over 10-man Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola’s men are now 11 points clear at the top thanks to an 11-game winning run, but were made to toil until deep into stoppage time by the Gunners.
A 5-0 thrashing to City when the sides last met in August saw Arsenal off to their worst start to a league season in 67 years.
But Mikel Arteta’s men have rallied to rise to fourth in the table and showed why as they deservedly led at half-time through Bukayo Saka’s seventh goal of the season.
Riyad Mahrez levelled from the penalty spot before Gabriel Magalhaes stupidly got himself sent off for two quickfire bookings just before the hour mark.
And the 10 men just failed to hold out for a point when Rodri poked home from close range after Aymeric Laporte’s shot was blocked.
Plastic bottles rained down on the Spanish international as he celebrated with the Arsenal supporters furious as they voiced their frustration at the officiating after seeing a penalty appeal of their own waived away in the first half.
However, it was Gabriel’s indiscipline that cost his side the chance to extend a four-point cushion over the chasing pack for a place in next season’s Champions League.
Arteta was forced to watch the game from home after he tested positive for coronavirus for the second time earlier this week.
However, that did not disrupt the Gunners’ fine form as with assistant Albert Stuivenberg directing operations they ran the champions and runaway leaders ragged in the first half.
The first big decision to go against the home side came on 12 minutes when Martin Odegaard went down as he tried to round City goalkeeper Ederson.
The Brazilian was given the benefit of the doubt by the referee and VAR, but Ederson appeared to have gone through the Norwegian’s foot to get to the ball.
