Both their sides are unbeaten and are well-placed in the Premier League table on nine points but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was clearly the happier after his side drew 1-1 at the fortress-like home of Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City on Sunday.
Arsenal played the better football at the Etihad Stadium as City failed to hold on to the lead given to them by Joleon Lescott’s header shortly before halftime.
Laurent Koscielny’s 82nd-minute blast past Joe Hart after the ball had rebounded off Lescott in a crowded area was justice for the Gunners who, in playmaker Santi Cazorla, boasted the best player on the pitch.
City have now drawn three of their opening five games, conceding sloppy goals and failing to rediscover the firepower that took the league by storm this time last year.
Last season they scored 17 goals and conceded five in their first five games. This time those figures read 10 and seven.
On top of that City surrendered a 2-1 lead against Real Madrid to lose 3-2 in their Champions League opener and Mancini is again struggling to deal with the antics of maverick striker Mario Balotelli, leaving the Italian on the bench again on Sunday along with Carlos Tevez.