Arsenal earned beleaguered manager Arsene Wenger respite by twice hitting back to hold Manchester City to a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola twice saw his City side go ahead, through Leroy Sane and then Sergio Aguero, but Arsenal twice responded via goals from Theo Walcott and Shkodran Mustafi.

Victory would have been a welcome tonic for Wenger, who has come in for heavy criticism from Arsenal's fans, but after four defeats in five Premier League games, the point was welcome.

His side remain seven points below City, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League berth, in sixth place, but they retain a game in hand on them.

City were prevented from reclaiming third place from Liverpool and eating into Chelsea's advantage following the leaders' shock 2-1 defeat at home to Crystal Palace.

But City will have an opportunity to close to within eight points of the summit when they travel to Chelsea on Wednesday.

It took City less than five minutes to draw blood as Kevin De Bruyne's pass from deep inside his own half sent Sane scampering clear.

The Germany winger outpaced Hector Bellerin and skipped past David Ospina -- deputising in goal for the injured Petr Cech -- before rolling in his eighth City goal.