Joe Hart cut a delighted figure as John Stones scored Manchester City’s last-gasp equaliser at the Etihad on Sunday evening – much to the displeasure of his Arsenal-supporting co-pundit Ian Wright.
The two Premier League leaders clashed unmissably for the first time this season on City soil, with Erling Haaland opening the scoring inside 10 minutes with his 100th goal in sky blue giving the hosts the lead.
Summer signing Riccardo Calafiori then opened his account with a stinger from just inside that box that eluded Ederson to draw the teams level, before team-mate Gabriel Magalhaes pulled the visitors clear just before the half-time whistle.
After going down to 10 men courtesy of a second yellow for Leandro Trossard, Arsenal clung doggedly on in the second-half, and looked to be on the verge of recording their first win at the Etihad since 2015.
But Stones’ goal deep in injury-time poured cold water on the notion and saw both teams forced to content themselves with a solitary point.
Joe Hart (left) launched into jubilant celebrations after Manchester City nabbed a late goal
John Stones (centre) provided the necessary equaliser for Manchester City after Arsenal had protected their lead for much of the game
Hart’s co-pundit Arsenal legend Ian Wright (right) was less than impressed with the late draw
Former Man City man Hart’s partisanship was clear to see when the equaliser hit the back of the net, as Premier League Production’s coverage revealed when Stones talked to the broadcaster after the final whistle.
In the clip shown to Stones, Hart let out a triumphant whoop and leapt to his feet, bellowing in the face of a subdued Wright before sitting down and banging the desk in front of him in defiance.
‘It was always going to happen,’ Stones then told the Arsenal legend, before adding: ‘I told you.’
Hart then started singing Stones’ chant, much to the amusement of Stones, who commented on the video: ‘Love it, love it Harty.’
Stones and Hart were team-mates both for England and Manchester City, but the pair only briefly overlapped at domestic level between Stones’ arrival in 2016 and Hart’s departure two years later due to the goalkeeper’s consecutive loan spells.
The 37-year-old completed turns at Torino and West Ham before eventually moving to Burnley in 2018.
Hart retired at the end of last season on the heels of three successful final years north of the border at Celtic.
Hart then launched into a round of Stones’ Man City chant, set to the tune of ‘Daddy Cool’
The Man City goal-scorer was amused by his former team-mates explosive reaction to the tie
The former shot-stopper has since parlayed his wealth of experience into broadcasting, and in August was named one of the replacements to take over Wright’s seat on Match of the Day.
Wright stepped back from the role in May ater more than two decades on the show, which he first appeared on as a player in 1997.
Discussing his departure on the Stick to Football podcast, Wright revealed that ‘it was time’ to move on.
‘I’m getting older, I just want to make sure I use the time well and efficiently for myself,’ Wright shared, ‘and at the moment, Match of the Day is the one that if something had to go, it had to be that.’
