- Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard was sent off in first-half stoppage time against Manchester City
- Trossard’s sacking came weeks after Declan Rice also saw red for the Gunners.
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has refused to accept blame for red cards following the sending off of Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice in recent games.
Trossard received a second yellow card for kicking the ball as Arsenal led Manchester City 2-1 on Sunday.
The Gunners eventually hit back in second-half stoppage time when John Stones scored an equaliser for the reigning Premier League champions.
Trossard’s dismissal came just weeks after Declan Rice was ordered to leave the game against Brighton; the midfielder also received a second yellow card for kicking the ball.
Arteta, speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup match against Bolton, was asked if he had reminded his players not to kick the ball.
Mikel Arteta refuses to accept blame for Arsenal’s red cards in recent games
Leandro Trossard received a second yellow card for kicking the ball against Manchester City
Trossard’s dismissal came weeks after Declan Rice was punished for kicking the ball out of the area.
“For passing the ball,” Arteta replied.
He added: “Just leave the ball, don’t touch it. We play without the ball.”
Arteta also defended Arsenal’s 10-man defensive approach at the Etihad Stadium, with the Gunners playing back in an attempt to preserve a 2-1 lead.
The Arsenal boss He was referring to their 5-0 defeat to Manchester City in 2021 when former captain Granit Xhaka was sent off for defending their tactics.
“Well, we had to play the game we had to play,” Arteta said. “The first 15 minutes we couldn’t. They played 30 seconds with 10 men. Look what they did. It’s normal what they did.”
“Unfortunately, we have been in the same situation. We were in the same situation with Granit and when we lost 5-0. So we better learn from it. Otherwise, I would become very stupid.”
Arteta suggested Trossard had received a second yellow card for “passing the ball”
Arsenal were outraged when Rice was sent off during their draw with Brighton last month.
The Gunners were forced to play the second half with 10 men against Manchester City on Sunday
In the second half, Arsenal had just 12.5 per cent of the ball against Manchester City, completing just 35 passes in their opponents’ half of the half, compared to 363 for the hosts.
Amazingly, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz became the first Premier League players to fail to complete a single pass after attempting one. only six and five of them respectively.
Arteta’s men also registered just one shot to Man City’s 28 in the second half but barely held their own against their title rivals.
The Gunners have since been caught in a time-wasting storm as it emerged that teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly was booked for unsportsmanlike behaviour after appearing to pass on a message to David Raya during Sunday’s frenetic draw at Manchester City.
Referee Michael Oliver booked Lewis-Skelly after the substitute jogged behind Raya’s goal-line while warming up in the 65th minute with the Gunners leading 2-1.
Oliver watched the 17-year-old communicating with Raya before the Arsenal goalkeeper fell to the ground and stopped play, as seen in new footage obtained by Mail Sport.
Lewis-Skelly had returned to the substitutes’ group on the main touchline when he received his yellow card, which was handed to him before he had played a single minute of professional football.
Arteta used the ensuing break to give a talk to nine of his outfield players as they looked to keep City at bay. Pep Guardiola’s side drew level in spectacular fashion in the 98th minute through John Stones and Arteta hailed his ten-man side’s defensive effort as a “miracle”.
Arteta has defended Arsenal’s tactics as his side struggled to hold on to a 2-1 lead at Manchester City
Arteta said he learned from Arsenal’s 5-0 defeat to Manchester City after Granit Xhaka’s red card in 2021
John Stones’ injury-time equaliser ultimately denied Arsenal a memorable away win
The PGMOL confirmed that Lewis-Skelly’s caution was for “showing a lack of respect for the game” under the unsportsmanlike conduct element of the rules. Arsenal have been contacted for comment.
Last year, English football’s top flight was embroiled in apparent Arsenal manipulation, with both coaching staff and analysts across the division openly discussing the “dark arts” amongst themselves. Clubs have sent their concerns over the matter to the PGMOL.
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, writing for Mail Sport, has defended the Gunners against allegations they used “dark arts” against Manchester City.
Keown insisted Arsenal deserve praise for how they restricted Manchester City’s chances after being reduced to 10 men.
