John Stones is the man of the moment for Manchester City as he scored the all-important equaliser in his side’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.
Stones revealed Pep Guardiola’s advice to get as close as possible to Erling Haaland and put crosses into the box for him after he was brought off the bench against Mikel Arteta’s side.
However, the Manchester City centre-back went a step further and scored the much-needed goal his side were crying out for instead of Haaland late into the game.
The £220,000-a-week man would have come onto the pitch with a point to prove after being benched for the clash.
Stones emphasised the Sky Blues’ spirit as a team who never seem to know when they are beaten.
Instead, Manchester City continue to fight until the very end and create such unforgettable memories for their supporters season upon season — as Stones did so in this instance.
Stones shares his feelings after Man City drew to Arsenal
It would be fascinating to discover which out of the two dressing rooms was the happier after the result.
On one hand, City might have been delighted to rescue a draw in the dying embers of the game and remain at the top of the league table.
However, Pep Guardiola would especially had hoped for the hosts to get over the line against a 10-man Arsenal side at home.
For all the fight and determination that the Gunners displayed by defending for their lives against the Premier League champions, they could not get the job done; which may have left Mikel Arteta feeling distraught.
However, the visitors’ performance was impressive under the circumstances as well; a factor that they could look at with pride upon reflecting on the game.
Stones took to Instagram to reveal how he felt after the stealing the headlines for Manchester City against Arsenal.
“Frustrating to not get the win today but we fight to the end, always!”
John Stones’ goal could boost the spirit within the Man City camp
It is safe to say that with how challenging Manchester City found their latest battle against Arsenal, the game would have come as a wake-up call to them.
Unlike in their 0-0 draw against Inter Milan where City could have won if they merely took their chances, they were pushed to the brink by Arteta’s side and they seemed out of ideas creatively in the second half.
Stones’ goal could reinforce the belief within the Sky Blues’ dressing room that regardless of how they performed, they found a way to come back from the dead and rescue a point.
Such is the sign of potential champions and the Englishman’s leveller could instill the belief in the side that even on an off day, they remain the team to beat.
How Manchester City fare after their latest outing will be interesting to see.
