John Stones believes Manchester Metropolis confirmed nice composure to maintain their cool within the face of Arsenal’s ‘darkish arts’.

Stones scored a 98th-minute leveller because the spoils have been shared in an exhilarating 2-2 draw on the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Metropolis took an early lead via Erling Haaland’s one centesimal purpose for the membership, although after Rodri sustained a nasty-looking knee harm, Riccardo Calafiori opened his account for Arsenal with a sensational equaliser.

Gabriel Magalhaes’ towering header put Arsenal forward, however Leandro Trossard noticed pink on the stroke of half-time, paving the way in which for Metropolis to dominate the second half.

But they may not discover the breakthrough till Mateo Kovacic’s shot rebounded to substitute Stones, who steered in from shut vary. It was Metropolis’s newest purpose scored on file (from 2006-07) in a Premier League match, and got here from their twenty eighth shot of the second half, the joint-second highest ever by a facet on file in a single half of soccer within the competitors.

The match was performed at full-throttle, and with loads of controversy, however Stones thought Metropolis saved their heads.

“[Arsenal] used the facet of soccer that not many groups do – make it troublesome, sluggish it down, get individuals on the ground,” Stones advised Sky Sports activities.

“We needed to management our feelings and I feel we did. We come away with a degree, when it might have been us dropping three factors. We’ll assessment it, we’ve received a recreation in two days which is quick, however how we fought till the top is a credit score to us.

28 – Man Metropolis’s 98th minute equaliser was their newest purpose scored on file (from 06-07) in a Premier League match. It was from their twenty eighth shot of the second half, the joint-second highest ever by a facet on file (from 03-04) in a single half of Premier League soccer. Chaos. pic.twitter.com/q7FAq3yEAm

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 22, 2024

“I don’t know in the event that they’ve mastered [the dark arts] – we all know what to anticipate, you possibly can name it intelligent or soiled, whichever manner you wish to put it.

“They break up the sport, it upsets the rhythm for everybody, they used it to their benefit and I assumed we handled it rather well. It’s not simple when these issues occur, while you attempt to get degree, however we managed our feelings rather well.

“Everybody expects, watching a giant recreation like this, there to be drama, however while you’re in it you wish to be level-headed. I assumed we did that. It was a day to assessment and take a whole lot of positives from.

“For the previous few years we’ve had a rivalry that’s grown, one we at all times wish to come out on high [in] . We at all times wish to come away with three factors, however how we managed the sport and got here away with a significant level is one thing we must be pleased with.”

Metropolis’s dominance was evident within the full-time stats. Arsenal recorded simply 22% possession, their second-lowest on file (from 2003-04) in a Premier League recreation (after 20% vs Man Metropolis in August 2021). The Gunners averaged simply 12.5% possession within the second half.

That being stated, Pep Guardiola needed to revert to a route one method late on.

“[Guardiola] wished me to play nearer to Erling to play excessive up the pitch, get extra crosses in and win a number of aerial duels,” defined Stones.

“It’s so interchangeable, so fluid in motion. I attempted to go on and get in the suitable areas, and it fell for me, fortunately.”