Browsing: chance

Al Horford’s presence will be missed in Boston.

It will be felt in Golden State, where Horford intends to sign a multi-year contract with the Warriors, leaving the Celtics for a second time in his storied career, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

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Jayson Tatum dubbed Horford “one of the best teammates I’ve ever had at any level,” and Jaylen Brown called him “a real-life legend and hero.” You won’t find anyone in the Celtics organization who disagrees.

“If you asked everybody,” Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens told Yahoo Sports this past January, “if you take all of the joy each one of us experienced winning [the championship] last year, I think all of us would say a piece of that joy — if not a large portion of it in my eyes — was for Al.”

That was months ago, when Horford and everyone around him felt like he would finish his career in Boston, as the Celtics’ championship window was wide open. At 39 years old, Horford wanted to begin each season he had left in him with the chance to win a title, and the defending champion Celtics — with Tatum and Brown squarely in their primes — were positioned to see Horford through his career’s end.

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“I just want to be here,” Horford told Yahoo Sports then of his desire to retire in Boston.

Likewise, “As long as Al Horford wants to play,” Stevens said at the time, “we’ll want him here.”

And the Celtics did want him to stay. He is a calming presence in the locker room, and still one heck of a player. He averaged 9 points (42/36/90 shooting splits), 6.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 combined blocks and steals in 27.7 minutes a game last season, his 18th in the NBA. But his impact has never been about statistics. He is a winner who’s “not doing anything to take away from the team ever,” said Stevens.

[Get more Warriors news: Golden State team feed]

More to the point: He is doing everything to contribute to the team. He spreads the floor. He attacks close-outs. He even posts up on occasion. He protects the rim. He defends in space. He does it all, really.

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He will now do it all in Golden State, where both sides of the ball require his level of basketball know-how. There is plenty on the Warriors, who boast veterans Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. What sweet rotations their decades of hoop will yield. If only they can be healthy at their advanced ages.

In Golden State, at least Horford can cling to a chance, even an outside one, at another ring.

Everything changed in Boston when Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Gone was Boston’s shot at becoming the NBA’s first repeat champion since 2018. Gone was Horford’s championship window, at least for now, and now is all the nearly 40-year-old has.

Staring Boston in the face instead was the NBA’s second apron, a punitive salary cap construct that ultimately cost the Celtics both Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis. They could have figured out a way to stay under the second apron and retain Horford for next season, but it may have cost them Sam Hauser, and to what end? Certainly not to quench Horford’s ceaseless thirst for another championship.

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Horford’s departure from Boston is more of a statement on the Celtics’ inability to win a title this season than it is of their willingness to spend to keep him. Do not rule out another return to Boston, either, once Tatum returns to health, as the Celtics reopen their championship window in 2027 and beyond.

Al Horford is ageless in that way. You never know when he will ultimately call it quits, but when he does, it will be when he no longer feels he can contribute to winning in the same way. This is not that time.

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Normally, NHL training camp is an all-business kind of affair, and that’s exactly how it’s been at Pittsburgh Penguins’ camp this year.

That is, until a certain Penguins’ legend waltzed into the rink at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa. for practice on Friday.

“Itâ€s been a few years, you know?” said Marc-Andre Fleury – the aforementioned Penguins’ legend – after practice. “But it didnâ€t feel like it. Itâ€s so good to see the guys, obviously, and you guys [the media], and other staff members are still the same… so, definitely very fortunate to be able to come back for a couple days.â€

And players, coaches, and media weren’t the only ones who got to see the 40-year-old goaltender – who officially called it a career at the end of his 2024-25 campaign with the Minnesota Wild – take the ice for one last practice.

Fans showed up in droves. Parking lots were full. There was a line outside of the facility prior to the morning skate that preceded practice. There were cheers every time Fleury made a save and groans every time any one of the Penguins’ players scored on him.

There is so much love between Fleury, his teammates, and the city of Pittsburgh, and it’s a bond that hasn’t faded since 2003 – even with an eight-year absence between now and his last appearance as a Penguin in 2017. Ultimately, the chance to play for that bond one last time is what made him want to do it, even given some initial hesitation after Penguins’ GM and POHO Kyle Dubas approached him about signing the paid tryout (PTO) contract – which he did end up signing on Sept. 12 with the Penguins – at the end of last season.

Penguins Sign Marc-Andre Fleury To Professional Tryout Contract
Pittsburgh Penguins fans are getting their wish to see Marc-Andre Fleury one more time in Pittsburgh.

“I was like, ‘I donâ€t know, I feel like Iâ€ve said goodbye, like, 17 times already to everybodyâ€, you know?” Fleury said. “I was a little banged up, too, after the season. I wasnâ€t planning on working out or skating.

He continued: “We talked a few weeks back… and I was like, yeah, itâ€d be fun and come in and spend some time with the guys, the staff, and see the fans, you know? I miss them, too. Iâ€m happy it all worked out.â€

It seems, too, that it worked out for just about everyone. Fleury brings an energy to the rink – as he is known to do – that simply just fills a room. It was all smiles for pretty much the entirety of practice, and especially for his longtime pals in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang.

“Just trying to enjoy it,” Crosby said. “You know, you [practice with him], like, hundreds of times, a thousand times, and you take it for granted. To get a chance to do that today was a lot of fun.â€

There was even a moment before the main practice when the veterans were all taking turns and shooting pucks in Fleury’s direction five-on-zero in the offensive zone. They kept passing the puck around and trying to get pucks past Fleury, and Crosby was fed a pass in the right circle. He walked in a bit and fired, with Fleury making a barrel save with his toe.

However, Crosby made sure to clear the air with the media post-practice about what happened with the rebound off of Fleury’s toe.

“The one where I batted it out of the air and scored? That’s the one you’re talking about?” Crosby said, smiling. “Yeah, it was a good initial save, for sure.”

The quips didn’t end there, either. They never do with Fleury around, and he got a good one of his own in, too. During the practice session, Fleury had the chance to chat with Penguins’ goaltending prospects Sergei Murashov and Filip Larsson, and when asked what was said and what advice he would give to the young netminders, he remained deadpan.

For Fleury And The Penguins, A Storybook Ending Is In Store
When a young netminder from Sorel, Quebec made his NHL debut on Oct. 10, 2003, it’s difficult to imagine that folks in Pittsburgh, Pa. knew what was in store for the next decade and a half.

“You better try hard because I’m coming to take your spot,” he said in response before cracking a smile and adding that he wished them luck this season.

And what would a visit from Fleury be without a good prank or two? Not only did Fleury put “29” stickers on Letang’s and Crosby’s cars in the parking lot, his son also pranked his own father as well as Malkin prior to practice by placing little wind-up cockroach toys in their equipment.

It’s those little things that make Fleury so endearing to everyone around him. And Crosby hopes that some of the younger players in the locker room can take his demeanor and the way he carries himself – as well as the effort he puts into building relationships – as lessons for themselves.

Even if Fleury is in town for just a few short days, that is.

“I think that just observing someone like that… obviously, everyoneâ€s got to be themselves, you know?” Crosby said. “Itâ€s gonna be hard to be another Marc-Andre Fleury, but I think just seeing the compete that he brings to practice, the enthusiasm, the bond that he has with the guys that heâ€s played with and how unique that that is… thatâ€s a part of our culture, and thatâ€s something that I think is special.

“So, hopefully, they can see that, and just get to meet him, get to know him, and see what a great person he is above and beyond all the stuff that heâ€s accomplished.â€

Ticket Prices For Fleury’s Final Game Keep Rising
When the Pittsburgh Penguins signed goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to a paid tryout (PTO) contract on Friday, along with that came the announcement that he’d be appearing in one final pre-season game in Pittsburgh on Sept. 27 against the Columbus Blue Jackets before officially retiring from the NHL.

Bookmark THN – Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

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Pakistan spurned an easy run out chance against Bangladesh in the 5th over (Image via X/@FarziCricketer) Pakistan endured an embarrassing moment of chaos in the field during Bangladeshâ€s chase in their Asia Cup Super 4s clash on Thursday, when a straightforward run-out chance went begging in the fifth over. Shaheen Afridi had just started a new spell when Bangladesh were 23/1.Towhid Hridoy cut his strike to backward point. Saim Ayub dived brilliantly to stop the ball and threw it to the bowlerâ€s end, where Saif Hassan was stranded almost halfway down the pitch. But no one was backing up. The fielder at the receiver’s end then failed to collect cleanly, allowing Saif to run back to safety.Ayub, who had done all the hard work, looked visibly frustrated. Pakistan skipper Salman Agha too, was not impressed with the way his team let an easy wicket chance slip in this must win match.Watch the hilarious mix up here The grand escape, however, lasted just one delivery. On the very next ball, Hridoy went for a reckless hit across the line and mistimed it poorly. This time, Ayub made no mistake, as settled under it to complete the catch. Shaheen had his second wicket and finally something to smile about after the confusion of the previous delivery. Earlier in the match, Pakistanâ€s batting line-up faltered again under pressure. Bangladeshâ€s bowlers Taskin Ahmed (3/28), Mustafizur Rahman (1/33) and Rishad Hossain (2/18) controlled the innings as Pakistan ended at 135 for eight. Sahibzada Farhan (4) became Taskinâ€s 100th T20I wicket, while Saim Ayubâ€s run of low scores continued with his fourth duck. Fakhar Zaman (13), Hussain Talat (3) and Salman Ali Agha (19) also fell cheaply.

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But even that recovery was quickly overshadowed by the bizarre run-out blunder, as this moment summed up Pakistanâ€s struggles in this high-stakes encounter.

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FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – The weather at Bethpage Black on Thursday is still forecast to bring plenty of rain but the front that threatened to washout the day’s play has shifted to the north and given both teams at the Ryder Cup a chance to complete their preparation for Friday’s opening matches.

Rain chances decreased throughout the day with a 60% chance of passing showers, and the lightning probability has dropped to around 20%. The U.S. and European teams were scheduled to play nine-hole practice rounds around 10 a.m. EDT.

Light showers overnight are forecast to increase as the teams prepare for their final practice round before Friday’s opening foursomes session with precipitation totals possibly reaching 2 inches before Friday.

Concerns about the storms prompted PGA of America officials to move the opening ceremony from Thursday to Wednesday afternoon. The captains for both teams are scheduled to announce the Day 1 foursomes pairings at 4 p.m. EDT (live on Golf Channel).

The good news for officials and players is that the storm is forecast to clear the area by 5 a.m. Friday with a much better outlook for Saturday and Sunday. The first tee time for Day 1 of the matches is scheduled at 7:10 a.m.

PHOENIX — The Diamondbacks were oh so close to holding their playoff fate in their hands Wednesday night, but they could not seal the deal as they fell, 5-4, to the Dodgers in 11 innings at Chase Field.

With the Mets falling to the Cubs and the Reds losing to the Pirates, the Diamondbacks did not lose any ground in the race for the final NL Wild Card spot. Arizona remains tied with the Reds, one game behind the Mets, with four games left to play.

Had the Diamondbacks found a way to beat the Dodgers for the second straight night, they would have been tied with the Mets, and since they own the tiebreaker, they would have essentially held the lead for the final postseason spot.

Win those final four games, and no matter what the Mets or Reds did, the Diamondbacks would be postseason-bound, as improbable as that seemed as recently as a couple of weeks ago.

Instead, they will need some help from other teams down the stretch.

“Tough one to swallow,” said starter Ryne Nelson. “I think the guys left it all out there today. I think, regardless of how it ended, it’s really fun to be a part of this team and to be a part of what we have going on here. I think that we never give up, never stop fighting. And I think that’s kind of been the story of the whole season. Tough one to swallow, but all we can do is just go home, get some rest and come back out here ready to win a game.”

It won’t get any easier Thursday afternoon as the Dodgers are throwing their ace, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as they try and wrap up the NL West title.

The Diamondbacks, meanwhile, announced after the game that they will push their scheduled starter, ace Zac Gallen, back to Friday against the Padres. Lefty Jalen Beeks will start as an opener for Arizona as they try to gain an advantage against a Dodgers lineup that typically features two lefties — Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman — amongst their first three batters of the game.

Right-hander Nabil Crismatt figures to follow Beeks and get the bulk of the innings.

Arizona recently bumped Crismatt from the rotation to utilize their four best pitchers more frequently, a move they were able to make due to the scheduled off-days they had. However, this time through the rotation, the Diamondbacks would have to have a bullpen game or Crismatt start at some point. Instead of it being Saturday against the Padres, it will be Thursday.

Wednesday’s loss was by no means a season-ending defeat, but the mood in the clubhouse made it clear that they knew just how much letting this game slip through their fingers hurts their postseason hopes.

“We had some opportunities late in the game to win the game, and we’re all frustrated by it,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “We didn’t execute. We didn’t execute at the right time to win that baseball game. We know the stakes are high. We know what’s going on. We know the scores of the [Mets and Reds games]. We’re all scoreboard watching, and we’re allowed to, because we’ve earned that. But you know, at the end of the day, you’ve got to regroup, find a way to flush this and make sure you’re ready to play a baseball game tomorrow, because it’s going to be a quick, quick turnaround.”

Just like Tuesday night, the Diamondbacks fell behind the Dodgers 4-1 and, like Tuesday, they rallied to tie the game, this time with a three-run eighth inning.

Tuesday, they won the game in the ninth. Wednesday they had a golden opportunity in the bottom of the 10th after holding the Dodgers scoreless in the top half.

Ketel Marte opened the 10th at second as the automatic runner and was sacrificed to third by Geraldo Perdomo. The Dodgers then intentionally walked Corbin Carroll and Gabriel Moreno to load the bases with one out.

Jack Dreyer, though, got Jake McCarthy to pop out and Blake Treinen came in and retired James McCann to end the inning.

In the 11th, Tommy Edman delivered what proved to be the game-winning hit when his two-out line-drive single to left-center scored Freeman from third.

Arizona went down in order in the 11th.

“A tough game,” Carroll said. “Obviously, battled them the whole way and tied it up there late, but just got beat today. We have to win these games, and everyone’s on board with that, so I don’t think that there’s any feeling sorry for ourselves. It’s just got to win tomorrow.”

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It started with some stern words. The US team trounced Europe 19-9 at Whistling Straits four years ago. Paul McGinley found himself under scrutiny as part of a European Ryder Cup committee that also includes Damon Buffini, Richard Scudamore and Ian Ritchie.

“The narrative was that this was a tired European team and there were no players coming through the ranks to change things against young, dynamic Americans who have figured out how to win Ryder Cups,†McGinley says.

“People said they were going to win the next 10. It’s fair to say I got a bit of a talking to from that committee about taking a more active role in overseeing what we were doing.â€

McGinley was involved when the trophy was reclaimed by Europe in Rome. Soon, his position was formalised to strategic adviser to Luke Donald. This was a smart appointment; McGinley has forgotten more about the Ryder Cup than most will ever know. At Bethpage, he will be on the sidelines but will provide an important sounding board as Donald and his players try to break the mould with a win on the road.

“We have nailed the home Ryder Cup templates but we have not nailed the away ones,†McGinley says. “If we go out and lose by five or six points again, that will be crushing for us. I don’t see that happening. If we don’t win, I think we will narrow the gap of away match defeats. We may well nick a win, we have a strong team.â€

Europe have also left nothing to chance. McGinley was lauded for his attention to detail as captain in 2014. More than a decade on, there was a scouting trip to Bethpage and virtual reality headsets were given to players so that they could sample how ferocious the opening tee may be. Is this the best prepared European team ever? “I think that’s fair to say, including the one I captained,†McGinley says. “This is another level up now.

“One of the things that has grown exponentially behind the scenes is the cost to prepare the team for the Ryder Cup. The budget that we are spending runs into the millions in terms of preparing this team. Sports scientists, data, food, dietitians making trips out there to meet chefs and see the kitchen or share recipes. America has decided the players will be paid whereas we put our money back into the DP World Tour as well as into the preparation of the team. The money spent on preparing the team is a massive multiple of what it was in my day.â€

The influential figures behind Donald will be worthy of high praise if Europe prevail. Like McGinley, the performance coach Owen Eastwood is a crucial source of advice for the captain. Edoardo Molinari, one of Europe’s vice‑captains, is a statistical guru. It was therefore no coincidence that Europe retained not only Donald from Rome but 11 of his 12 players.

Europe’s golfers lift the Ryder Cup trophy in 2023 after prevailing over the USA at the Marco Simone golf club in Rome. Photograph: David Davies/PA

“We have relied heavily on analytics and history when making up what this strategy is,†McGinley says. “Edoardo plays a hugely important role, he is the guy who came up with the qualification system. I think one mistake we were making was hitting the ground with a new captain all the time, trying to learn the job and deal with an away match. Having someone with credibility who would do it again was important.

“Data led us in this direction; experienced players, from a European perspective, are the ones who deliver on the road. What we wanted data to do was point us in the right general direction, then we can bring in our golfing IQ and figure out what might work in a Ryder Cup context.â€

McGinley sat as an interested observer in 2010 as Corey Pavin, the then US captain, revealed advice from Bill Belichick. “Always remember to make the big thing the big thing,†the legendary NFL coach had told Pavin. McGinley says: “You can look for marginal gains, the extra 1-2%, and then lose sight of the big things.

“Communication with the players is so important. The biggest challenge here is the crowd, playing in a hostile environment and one players are not used to. They are ducks out of water. What were the lessons under Bernhard Langer [from Oakland Hills in 2004], what were the learnings from Medinah?

“I don’t think there has been a captain who has communicated as much to players as Luke has. That detailed, regular communication has been focused on mindset and preparing them for what is going to be a very difficult environment to play in.â€

In what was his sixth international outing across all formats, Cox’s maiden half-century easily surpassed his previous best of 17 in an England jersey.

After leading The Hundred in runs scored and being named Most Valuable Player as he helped the Oval Invincibles to a third consecutive title last month, he said he had looked to bring some of that confidence to his international return.

“It’s only a ball coming down, don’t worry about it. Whoever is bowling it, just have a bit of fun and show what you can do. That’s what I tried to do.

“I seemed to do well in that Oval shirt so I just was like ‘come on, this is just franchise cricket and I’m playing for the Oval, just enjoy it and have a bit of fun’.

“That’s what I do when I’m there so why not try and do it everywhere?”

Cox said he has “really struggled” with missing out on a Test bow against New Zealand last winter.

In his absence, 21-year-old Jacob Bethell made his Test debut on the tour and now seems sure to be a part of the squad that will be named this week for this winter’s Ashes series in Australia.

Cox added: “To have the opportunity to play for your country in Test cricket is something that I always dreamt of doing, and am still dreaming about doing, so to get that taken away was really hard.

“My friends and family, the people closest to me, said it would have happened for a reason. If that means I wasn’t quite ready to play Test cricket yet, that was someone telling me I wasn’t ready.

“There’s a reason why I didn’t play; there was a reason why Bethell did and why he did so well. But I really struggled with it.”

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• Tom Hamilton

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  Tom Hamilton

  Senior Writer

  • Joined ESPN in 2011
  • Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours
  • Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018

• Mark Ogden

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  Mark Ogden

  Senior Writer, ESPN FC

Sep 21, 2025, 03:41 PM ET

LONDON — Gabriel Martinelli‘s injury-time equalizer saw Arsenal snatch a 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Erling Haaland‘s first-half strike looked to be enough to secure a key win for Pep Guardiola’s side at their fellow title challengers, but the strength of Arsenal’s bench again proved to be enough to get the breakthrough as Martinelli lobbed Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 93rd minute of the match.

For so long it looked as if City’s defensive stand was going to frustrate Arsenal. Haaland’s goal was from a rare City attack, while Arsenal had plenty of possession but failed to turn that into clear-cut chances. That was until Martinelli’s neat, lofted effort flew over Donnarumma’s head into the corner of the net. — Tom Hamilton

Arsenal show character but miss out on statement victory

After a summer of largesse in the transfer market that established a squad depth to rival any in the sport, this was meant to be the afternoon when Arsenal underlined their title credentials. Having lost to Liverpool already, Arsenal could not afford to drop further points to City.

They showed more life in the second half, but the first half was a turgid performance from Arsenal as they mustered only one shot on target. They looked devoid of inspiration and played in front of City’s back four, rather than finding a way to tease the door open. They lacked creativity in midfield and a cutting edge up front. Noni Madueke frequently found himself constrained to the byline, and though he managed to get his crosses away, they inevitably found a player in blue. Arteta’s changes at halftime, introducing Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze, gave Arsenal more life, but still City’s back line stood firm and frustrated Viktor Gyökeres, who barely got a sniff of a decent chance.

Gabriel Martinelli scored in the 93rd minute to salvage a draw for Arsenal vs. Manchester City. Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Ultimately, the strength of Arsenal’s bench saw them through. The introductions of Eze, Saka, Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri gave them enough impetus to force a late breakthrough by Martinelli. But what will concern Arteta is how they left it so late to break down City’s defense. This was an opportunity missed for Arsenal. — Hamilton

Haaland now the complete forward

Remember when former Manchester United captain Roy Keane disparagingly suggested that Erling Haaland was “like a League Two player” because of what he offered — or more pertinently, what he didn’t — when he wasn’t scoring goals? Those comments were made in March 2024 after Haaland had produced a poor performance for City. At the time, Keane wasn’t on his own in thinking that the prolific goal scorer needed to do more for the team.

Haaland has always racked up goals, and he has scored so many that even a coach as demanding as Pep Guardiola has been willing to make allowances, simply because he is capable of winning games with one flash of genius. But Haaland has evolved as a player as well as a striker, and the 25-year-old’s ninth-minute goal at the Emirates Stadium showcased just how much more he now has in his locker.

The Norway international started the move for the goal inside his own half by winning the ball and laying it off to Tijjani Reijnders before sprinting forward and leaving marker Gabriel chasing his shadow. Reijnders then burst forward and returned the ball to Haaland, who took a touch before beating David Raya with his right foot. It was the kind of goal that Haaland might not have scored 18 months ago when Keane made his critiques. — Mark Ogden

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1:56

Is the ‘new version’ Manchester City working?

Shaka Hislop analyses Manchester City’s changes in their style of play.

Pep Lijnders’ influence at City starting to show

It was a surprise when Guardiola hired Pep Lijnders as his new assistant this summer, calling upon Jurgen Klopp’s former coach at Liverpool to help get his team back on track after last season’s failure to win a trophy. Klopp’s Liverpool had been a real thorn in City’s side, but it was their brand of rapid counterattacking football that Guardiola was so keen to adopt, prompting him to recruit Lijnders, sources told ESPN.

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Sources said Lijnders has been repeatedly drilling the City squad on the training ground in an effort to fast-track their evolution into a counterattacking side. The fruits of his labour are beginning to show. Last week, City beat Manchester United 3-0 with only 45% possession in the whole game. At the Emirates, the Blues had 33%, the lowest ever for a Guardiola-led team.

Despite building his reputation as a master of the passing game, Guardiola has spotted a change in tactical trends, and City are having to move with the times. Haaland’s goal was an example of their ability to counter quickly. With the pace of Haaland and Jérémy Doku in the team, they continued to hit Arsenal on the counter in this game. — Ogden

Donnarumma shows quality despite late misstep

The Arsenal supporters took a disliking to Gianluigi Donnarumma pretty early on. He likes to take his time while evaluating the options at his disposal, much to the ire of the Arsenal supporters inside the Emirates. He didn’t look the remotest bit bothered as the boos rained down on him. Eventually he was shown a yellow card in the 75th minute after his latest display of time-wasting, but the whole charade was a snapshot of the unflappable mentality that has made him one of the finest goalkeepers in the world.

– O’Hanlon: First-month grades for all 20 Premier League teams
– Report: Gabriel Martinelli rescues Arsenal draw vs. pragmatic Man City

He must also be such a calm presence for the defenders in front of him. City had a makeshift right back in Abdukodir Khusanov, and had young left back Nico O’Reilly on the opposite side of the back four. It was also fascinating to see him warming up. Donnarumma and the coaches were focusing on crosses, and he spent a good amount of time flying through the air, punching crosses clear.

It was a precursor for what they anticipated would be a set piece bombardment from Arsenal. Those skills were called upon as Arsenal’s corners peppered his goal as he repelled anything and everything hurled his way from the set pieces. But his positioning will be questioned for Arsenal’s equalizer as he gave enough space for Martinelli to lift the ball over his head and into the net. — Hamilton

Ødegaard’s absence felt by Arsenal

Arsenal have dropped points in two Premier League games this season, and Martin Ødegaard hasn’t started either of them. The Gunners’ captain was restricted to a substitute appearance in the 1-0 defeat at Liverpool because of a shoulder injury, and he missed this draw against City completely because of a recurrence of the same problem.

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2:40

Hislop: Gyökeres hasn’t done something to even critique

Shaka Hislop discusses how Viktor Gyökeres fits in Arsenal and how he can contribute to the team’s title fight.

Arsenal have been able to overcome the absence of Ødegaard against lesser opponents, but when they are facing the top teams, they really miss his craft and guile. Arteta now has a squad of real depth with at least two players for every position, but he has no direct replacement for Ødegaard. Without the Norway midfielder, Arsenal don’t have a midfielder capable of controlling the play or unlocking opposition defenses through the middle of the pitch. When Ødegaard misses out, Arsenal play everything out wide, and the best teams know how to deal with that.

Against City, Martinelli’s late equalizer rescued a point and saved the Gunners from a costly defeat against a title rival. But if Arsenal are to win the Premier League, they need Ødegaard back and for him to stay fit. — Ogden

Statement performance from O’Reilly

Last weekend, Nottingham Forest had a dreadful time trying to contain Noni Madueke. They had Morato at left back in the first half; Neco Williams faired a little better after the break, but Madueke was lethal. A week later, it fell to O’Reilly to marshal Madueke, and he did an outstanding job. O’Reilly is more naturally a midfielder, but has been used at left back under Guardiola. Madueke was frequently forced to the byline, and his cutbacks found City players rather than anyone wearing red. In the second half, O’Reilly had Saka to deal with and again, managed to keep a lid on his threats.

It was also fascinating to see how O’Reilly was used in attack, frequently slotting into midfield with Jeremy Doku maintaining the width. It was similar to how Guardiola’s used John Stones in the past. The 20-year-old was substituted off in the 87th minute utterly exhausted, and bruised, but he was outstanding. On this evidence, Rayan Aït-Nouri will have competition on his hands for the left-back spot when he comes back from injury. — Hamilton

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