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Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match at the Emirates Stadium, London. 26 October 2021.

Watch: Martinelli shockingly misses open goal after Laporte’s error

Gabriel Martinelli missed a golden chance to restore Arsenal’s lead against Manchester City in their Premier League match on New Year’s Day.

It was a brilliant chance to score which resulted from a terrible defensive mistake that almost ended up with Aymeric Laporte putting the ball in his own net.

Bukayo Saka chased after an Alexandre Lacazette flick on and, while Ederson rushed out to collect it, it forced Laporte to act.

He lept up to head the ball but it went over Ederson’s head and looked certain to go into the City net, restoring Arsenal’s lead in an embarrassing fashion for City.

Yet Nathan Ake was able to sprint and dive to just about clear the ball off the line with millimeters to spare.

The clearance fell perfectly into the path of Martinelli who took it in his stride and fired towards the virtually empty net, with Ake behind the line and Ederson nowhere to be found.

Yet the young Brazilian could not direct the golden opportunity goalward, sending it flying off the post and for a goal kick.

It was a remarkable passage of play that got crazier still when Arsenal’s Gabriel took out Gabriel Jesus who had chested the ball over the centre-back following the goal kick, resulting in a second yellow card for the Arsenal player and the Gunners being reduced to ten men.

Manchester City went on to win the games in the dying embers when Rodri converted a chance to give City a 2-1 victory.


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