Mathiue Flamini's second half strike gives Arsenal a hard earned point as they share play out a 1-1 draw at home to imposing Manchester City in a spirited second half display.
Manchester City missed the chance to topple Chelsea at the top of the Barclays Premier League table as following Chelsea's shock 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace earlier on Saturday afternoon.Wenger made a single change to the side that drew at home to Swansea in the midweek - Lukas Podolski coming in for Oxlade Chamberlane - while City remained unchanged from the team that defeated Manchester united in the Manchester Derby.
The visitors started brightest as they dominate the play and Zabaleta and Jesus Navas saw their effort go wide the Arsenal goal.
Having been out of sort recently, following strings of unconvincing performances, the gunners seems doom for yet another defeat as David Silva put the visitors ahead in the 18th minute.
Lukas Podolski lost the ball in City's half and Yaya Toure played David Silva in on a counter attack, he skipped past Mathieu Flamini before squaring a place to Edin Dzeko in the box but his near post shot cannoned back the post before Silva porch home from the rebound.
The ball was in the City net after 21 minutes - but Arsenal midfielder Flamini had already been flagged offside from a deep left-wing cross before he looped his shot over Joe Hart.
Sensing another defeat on the block and needing an instant response, the Londoners were not down stricken with the goal but instead stepped up their game and were rewarded in the 21 minutes when Flamini lashed onto a deep left-wing cross to loop hi shot over Joe Hart into the net but he was flaged offside by the assistant referee.
The rest of the first half was very competitive as players of both teams fight for every ball leaving Yaya Toure, Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Tomas Rosicky with a booking.
Arsenal started the second half more determined of the two teams, but could have conceded once again as Navas' low cross from the right was spilled by Wojciech Szczesny, and the ball deflected off Per Mertesacker to go just beyond the post for a corner to City.
Santi Cazorla's drive stung the hands of England keeper Hart before Arsenal leveled on 53 minutes.
Podolski pulled a low cross into the penalty area from the left and Flamini who was unmarked met it with a one-time left footed swing into the right corner.
Arsenal started imposing more and Sagna's cross from the right eluded everyone, flying through the six-yard box.
Minutes later, Hart made a superb save to deny what could have been a winner for the host when he somehow deflected a fierce angled drive from Podolski behind for a corner.
City boss Manuel Pellegrini made a change on 65 minutes as James Milner came on for Navas.
Following their dominant spell, Arsenal started to come under more pressure, but showed great resilience but they held on for a valuable point.
Manuel Pellegrini's men, would have gone ahead on goal difference with victory over the Gunners, but the draw leaves them third on 67points, with two matches in hand.
The twist however is not yet over as Liverpool who host Tottenham on Sunday now have the championship destiny in their own hands, and could go top with a win over spurs but they still have key clashes against City and Chelsea at Anfield.
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