Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta Reacts furiously to Leandro Trossard's red card decision by referee Michael Oliver against Man City

web editor  

Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta Reacts furiously to Leandro Trossard

The Gunners were leading 2-1 in a comeback effort at the Etihad Stadium heading into half-time. However, Trossard, who was already on a yellow card for a foul on Savinho, received a second yellow card for fouling Bernardo Silva and kicking the ball away.

Arsenal felt aggrieved not only due to the harshness of the punishment - but also due to the fact that City winger Jeremy Doku went unpunished for a similar incident earlier in the game.

It was the second time Arsenal have been on the receiving end of this second yellow card offence, with Declan Rice sent off against Brighton on August 31 in a similar incident.

Arteta said he was "amazed" after that Rice call - as, like Doku, Brighton forward Joao Pedro earlier went unpunished for kicking the ball away - and believes the game against City became a contest that "nobody wants to watch" after Trossard saw red.

Trending

"We were more efficient and went 2-1 up and then there were two incidents, very similar, one in particular, but had a very different outcome which then forces you to have a game which nobody wants to watch," said Arteta.

"I think it's very clear. Very obvious. Hopefully what 100 per cent of what people thinks. It's not my job to come here and judge what happened. My job is to survive in the most difficult environment you can throw in football for 55 minutes. And try to get things done to survive. That's my job, the rest is not my job.

"It's already the second time it has happened in five games, which is really, really worrying if we want to see the best Premier League.

"Anyone that has played football or any sport [can see] it's less than a second. Less than a second. The previous one [Doku] is more than a second. That's it, simple."

The match left Arsenal with an "impossible" task, according to Arteta, to keep out City at the Etihad Stadium with 10 players. John Stones eventually scored a stoppage-time equaliser after a half of valiant defending from the Gunners, and Arteta admitted pride in his team despite two more dropped points.

"It's impossible," said Arteta about the challenge his team had in the second half. "It's very hard already against 11 players, impossible. Because we are put under pressure to defend with six in our box time and time and time after time. That's it.

"Unbelievable, I'm so proud of them. When you survive like that that many minutes, to concede like that the way we did, because we had to play 97 minutes then 99, I was very disappointed. But at the same time, I have to be proud of them."

More to follow...

This is a breaking news story that is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh this page for the latest updates.

brings you live updates as they happen. Get breaking sports news, analysis, exclusive interviews, replays and highlights.

is your trusted source for breaking sports news headlines and live updates. Watch live coverage of your favourite sports: Football, F1, Boxing, Cricket, Golf, Tennis, Rugby League, Rugby Union, NFL, NBA, Darts, Netball and get the latest transfers news, results, scores and more.

Visit skysports.com or the App for all the breaking sports news headlines. You can receive push notifications from the app for the latest news from your favourite sports and you can also follow @SkySportsNews on Twitter to get the latest updates.