September 23rd 2024.
Rio Ferdinand was disappointed with Mikel Arteta's reaction to the events that unfolded during Arsenal's draw with Manchester City. The Gunners, with ten men, were close to securing a remarkable victory against the Premier League champions at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. But a last-minute equaliser from John Stones, who came in as a substitute for City, changed the course of the game.
Despite initially trailing 1-0 due to Erling Haaland's 100th goal for Manchester City, Arsenal had managed to turn the game around with two impressive goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel. However, their momentum was halted when Leandro Trossard received a second yellow card and was sent off for delaying the restart of the game. This decision by referee Michael Oliver left Arteta visibly angry, especially since City's Jeremy Doku had escaped punishment for a similar incident earlier in the game.
This is not the first time Arsenal has faced consequences for time-wasting, with Declan Rice also being shown a second yellow card and sent off in a match against Brighton earlier this month. When asked about the red card, Arteta chose not to comment, stating that it was evident and did not require further discussion. He also expressed concern over seeing this happen twice in just five games in the Premier League, which he believes is one of the most challenging environments in football.
Arteta added that the red card had made the situation impossible for his team and that playing with ten men was incredibly challenging, especially against a strong team like Manchester City. He also mentioned that it was their job to defend their six-yard box repeatedly, and the red card had significantly affected their performance.
However, Ferdinand, who was discussing the match on his YouTube channel, disagreed with Arteta's reaction. He felt that the referee was right to send off Trossard, as kicking the ball away after being shown a yellow card is almost always followed by a booking. Ferdinand also expressed his surprise at Arteta's reaction, as someone who had played the game and knew the consequences of such actions.
Trossard's red card means that he will be suspended for Arsenal's next game against Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup, but he will be available to play against Leicester City in the Premier League next weekend. Despite the draw, Manchester City remains at the top of the Premier League table, with one point above Liverpool and Aston Villa and two points above Arsenal after five games.
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