- Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard was sent off shortly before half-time against Manchester City
- His second yellow card was for kicking the ball and delaying the restart.
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Leandro Trossard became the second Arsenal player to be sent off in the Premier League this season when he was sent off just before half-time in Sunday’s clash with Manchester City.
Trossard was booked in the 34th minute for a tactical foul on Savinho, but it was his second booking that really caused controversy.
Like Declan Rice against Brighton last month, Trossard received a second yellow card for kicking the ball.
The Belgian fouled Bernardo Silva in the eighth minute of first-half stoppage time before clearing the ball with his hand.
But referee Michael Oliver had already blown his whistle and was therefore convinced Trossard had deliberately tried to delay the restart – something officials were told to suppress during pre-season briefings.
Arsenal star Leandro Trossard was sent off shortly before half-time against Manchester City on Sunday.
The referee showed Trossard two yellow cards, including a second for kicking the ball.
Arsenal have already received two red cards for kicking the ball out of play this season, after Declan Rice (right) received a second yellow for delaying a restart against Brighton.
Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville agreed that Trossard knew what he was doing.
Carragher said: “There’s no doubt he heard the whistle but it comes so quickly after the whistle that it means he can get away with it. But he knows what he’s doing.”
Neville added: “The reason he (Oliver) knows he’s heard the whistle is because he’s about to take the ball out of bounds. He doesn’t take it all the way.”
Carragher continued: “What is he doing? The position his team is in and how decisive these games are when you look at points totals at the end of the season. It’s ridiculous.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was visibly furious at the decision to sack Trossard.
However, he directed his frustration towards the officials, rather than his player, and he and his coaching staff hugged Trossard after he walked off the field.
Neville reacted to this by adding: “They might not see it the same way at the end of the game. They might think it was stupid and I know they gave him a hug, but I think they’ll be disappointed in him when they reflect on it.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hugged Trossard after leaving the pitch at the Etihad Stadium
Arteta directed his frustration at the fourth official, rather than his undisciplined player.
Gary Neville said Arteta might feel differently after taking time to reflect on the red card.
Jamie Carragher has called Trossard’s decision to kick the ball “pretty ridiculous”.
Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott seemed to agree. He summed up the incident simply by saying: “If you kick a ball out, you’ll get a booking.”
Meanwhile, Roy Keane said: “Don’t you think you have the mentality that when you get a yellow card you don’t give the referee the chance to send you off? You can say it’s harsh all you like. It’s a yellow card.”
There was also a lack of sympathy for Trossard on social media.
One Arsenal fan tweeted: “I have no sympathy for Trossard. He kicked the ball out of position after the whistle. He’s a moron. Absolutely stupid. There’s no defending him.”
Trossard’s red card came when his team was winning 2-1.
City opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Erling Haaland scored his 100th goal for the club.
But Arsenal turned the match around thanks to goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel.
We will continue to report more.
