Mikel Arteta expressed disappointment over the inconsistent judgement of referee Michael Oliver following the expulsion of Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard during a match against Manchester City. Trossard was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away, whilst City’s Jeremy Doku received no punishment for a similar offence. This dismissal occurred shortly before half time, leaving Arsenal playing with just ten men in the second half.
The Gunners managed to nearly hold their own, only losing their 2-1 lead to a 99th-minute goal from John Stones. Prior to this, the game had seen Gabriel’s header neutralised by John Stones’ goal after Erling Haaland had initially put Arsenal in the lead, and Riccardo Calafiori subsequently equalised.
Arteta declined to comment specifically on the perceived disparity in Oliver’s refereeing, but he did express his expectation of continued inconsistencies in game rulings. He also lauded his team’s effort and adaptability under the trying circumstances at Etihad Stadium.
It’s notable that Trossard is the second player from Arsenal to be dismissed in this fashion, following Declan Rice during a game with Brighton in August. A contentious incident where Haaland bounced the ball off of Gabriel’s head was discussed post-match, to which Arteta remarked it was a result of high emotions.
Having a player down both prior to and following Trossard’s red card, Arsenal resorted to slowing the pace of the game and using blocking manoeuvres at corners.
Stones made a comment about Arsenal’s skills, questioning whether they have perfected what he referred to as the “dark arts”. According to him, Arsenal has been practising this technique for a few years, disrupting the flow of the game to their advantage. He pondered whether this strategy should be considered clever or unsporting. His observation was that these intentional disruptions prevent rivals from gaining a foothold in the match. Despite this, he felt that his team managed the situation effectively.
Manager Guardiola expressed his dissatisfaction towards Kyle Walker for failing to keep an eye on Gabriel, who managed to score a goal. Rodri, another player, had to be substituted due to a possible knee injury. Guardiola revealed that he hadn’t received an update on Rodri’s injury status from the medical team at the time of his comments.
Despite the difficulties they faced, City still remain at the top of the league after their first five matches, securing 13 points and staying two points ahead of Arsenal.