Guardiola hails return of City's fighting spirit after stoppage-time Arsenal draw

Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Arsenal at the Emirates after Gabriel Martinelli's stoppage-time lob earned the hosts a point, cancelling out Erling Haaland's early opener. The result capped a week in which Pep Guardiola said his side had turned a corner and rediscovered their fighting spirit, even after a run that included wins over Manchester United and Napoli.

City parked the bus for long periods and defended resolutely as Arsenal pressed to take all three points. Guardiola said the moment revealed a change in body language: 'It's the body language - how we celebrate, how we communicate, how we make an effort.' He added, 'We lost it a lot last season. I said I don't give a f*** about the results, I want to see the spirit back in the training sessions and us enjoying it. We had to recover it. This week we have recovered. We have to continue. I suffered. I don't like it, I want the ball far away [from goal]. But once in 10 years is ok, right? Our resilience was fantastic, otherwise we cannot survive.'

Arteta said Arsenal were disappointed by the result, noting that City controlled large parts of the game. 'It is true that scoring at the end gives you a bit of emotion, a bit of a taste,' he said. 'But then I think the first thought for me was to win the game. I think we did a lot of very good things very, very well in order to get the game to that state.'

Declan Rice added: 'We've gained respect of the opposition - they know the quality we have from front to back. We passed and moved well in the first half and in the second but there was always the threat on the counter. In the end, we deserved the goal and would have been disappointed to come away losing.'

Haaland came off with a back complaint that should see him rested for the midweek Carabao Cup clash at Huddersfield Town, while City defender Ruben Dias praised the team's work as a defensive unit. Guardiola admitted he wasn't expecting City to defend as one for so long. 'Oh yes, that surprised me too,' he said. 'Like Napoli have done against us, 10 against 11, this resilience. I said we were not able but we made a step. The result leaves City in ninth with seven points from their first five matches this season.

'I want to be honest: it's nine new players from January. To arrive in the last stages [domestically and in Europe] we have to improve. I want to be closer to the team like we played against Napoli and some moments when it was 11 against 11, and against United. It is a pity but the result is fair. Arsenal controlled the game - not us.'

City now turn their attention to the Carabao Cup clash at Huddersfield Town, with Haaland's fitness a key watch after his early goal and subsequent substitution. Dias commended City’s defensive shape, a point Guardiola stressed is part of a broader process as the club integrates a renewed squad.

The result leaves City ninth in the table with seven points from five matches, a position Guardiola acknowledged will require continued improvement as the season progresses.