Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji is the latest player to call out Arsenal over their tactics in Sunday’s 2-2 draw at the Etihad. The Gunners had to play large parts of the game with 10 men.
Erling Haaland opened the scoring early for the Premier League holders, before Riccardo Calafiori equalized with a brilliant effort just outside the box. Gabriel lost his marker and headed home the second goal as Arsenal took a 2-1 lead.
Controversy came in added time of the first half when Leandro Trossard was given a second yellow card for kicking the ball away after a foul on Bernardo Silva.
Arsenal were able to hold on and secure a point, much to the frustration of Bernardo Silva who says the Gunners ‘did not come to play football’ on Sunday.
Manuel Akanji calls out Arsenal players over time wasting tactics
City found an equalizer late in added time after the fourth official added seven minutes at the end of the game. John Stones popped up with the goal after a cross into the box caused chaos Arsenal didn’t deal with properly.
Akanji had this to say after the game: “Yeah, but in the end we always won the title and I don’t think it’s going to be different this year.”
When asked about the end of the game when Arsenal players went down with cramp, the defender said:
“That’s what they’re looking for in the end, we have to defend ourselves because in every duel, every free-kick that was given, they went on the floor,” he said.
“Players go on the floor to get up, sprint back again, go on the floor again, one of their team went over to tell the keeper to go on the floor and stuff like this.
“I mean, there’s nothing we can do about it. In the end, it’s up to the referee to control throughout the whole season, to control these situations. But yeah, there’s nothing else we can do about it.
“Always when we play against them, that’s what they’re looking for. The drama. Going hard in the duels, defence, 11 players in their own box and then go on set-pieces and try to score a goal.
“It worked for them so if they’re happy with the one point. We’re not, we tried to get more but that’s what they’re happy with.
“Of course, at the end of the day we’re still top of the league. We haven’t lost a game yet.
“It’s not easy to officiate a game like this because it’s played really hard from the start. It’s not easy, we tried to do our thing, do our game.”
Arsenal kept themselves within touching distance of the league leaders, and after wins of Aston Villa and Tottenham, the season is shaping up to be a positive one for Mikel Arteta.
