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The Gunners looked all set to claim a statement win until City substitute Stones finished from point-blank range deep into second-half stoppage-time.

Erling Haaland’s 100th City goal handed the hosts a deserved advantage early on, only for Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes to give the Gunners a half-time lead, albeit one that was soured by Leandro Trossard’s dismissal in stoppage-time.

For the majority of the second half, it looked as though City would not be able to make its numerical advantage count, with David Raya again in top form in Arsenal’s goal.

But Raya was beaten when Stones latched on to a rebound six yards out, with City claiming a potentially vital point that sent it back to the summit, while Arsenal sits in fourth.

There was also concern for the hosts in the first half, with Rodri limping off on 20 minutes after a tangle with Thomas Partey inside the penalty area. 

Stones proved to be the man of the hour for the hosts, with his 17th City goal perhaps his most important so far and believes City showed great composure in the face of Arsenal's 'dark arts'.

"[Arsenal] used the side of football that not many teams do – make it difficult, slow it down, get people on the floor," Stones said.

"We had to control our emotions and I think we did. We come away with a point, when it could have been us losing three points. We'll review it, we've got a game in two days which is fast, but how we fought until the end is a credit to us.

"I don't know if they've mastered [the dark arts] – we know what to expect, you can call it clever or dirty, whichever way you want to put it.

"They break up the game, it upsets the rhythm for everyone, they used it to their advantage and I thought we dealt with it really well. It's not easy when those things happen, when you try to get level, but we controlled our emotions really well.

"Everyone expects, watching a big game like this, there to be drama, but when you're in it you want to be level-headed. I thought we did that. It was a day to review and take a lot of positives from.

"For the past few years we've had a rivalry that's grown, one we always want to come out on top [in]. We always want to come away with three points, but how we managed the game and came away with a vital point is something we should be proud of."

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta labelled the result a "miracle" after spending 56 minutes with 10 men after Trossard's dismissal.

"I am so proud of the team. We played the game in a difficult context. Playing against the best team in the world," Arteta said. 

"After what happened, we went 2-1 up – it was a different story and I prefer not to make any comment about that [Leandro Trossard's red card].

"Obviously, it is already a miracle we played 56 minutes at the Etihad with 10 men. It is unbelievable what we have done."

Arteta was far less effusive about Michael Oliver's decision to show Trossard a second yellow card for delaying the restart after fouling Bernardo Silva.

Since the Spaniard's first game in charge of the Gunners, he has seen 17 players dismissed in the Premier League, at least four more than any other club.

"It is very obvious, I don't need to talk about it. I think the red card is very clear, very obvious what people think," Arteta continued.

"It is not my job to come here and judge what happened.

"My job is to survive in one of the most difficult environments there is in football for 55 minutes and try to get things done to survive.

"The rest is not my job, but it has already happened twice in five games, which is very worrying to see in the best league, the Premier League.

"[The red card] makes the situation impossible. It is very, very hard to play with 11 players, with ten it is impossible.

"With ten you have to defend your six-yard box time and time again."