Mikel Arteta has hit again at claims from a number of Manchester Metropolis gamers that Arsenal employed “darkish arts” in Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Etihad Stadium by insisting a number of of his gamers may very well be going through damage layoffs.
John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Bernardo Silva have been all essential of the Gunners’ strategy final weekend because the guests tried to defend a 2-1 lead with 10 males, just for Stones to equalise within the 98th minute.
After the sport, Stones stated Arsenal “have accomplished [dark arts] for a number of years — you may name it intelligent or soiled,” whereas Akanji and Silva accused them of time-wasting.
Gabriel Martinelli, Jurriën Timber and Riccardo Calafiori have been all substituted within the second half whereas goalkeeper David Raya was seen leaving the stadium along with his proper knee bandaged.
Talking forward of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup third spherical tie towards Bolton Wanderers, Arteta was seemingly irked by the feedback made by Arsenal’s title rivals.
“I at all times favor the info to phrases or supposing issues,” he stated. “Let’s have a look at who is out there tomorrow after which we are able to speak about ‘darkish arts’ or this stuff or if it is a actuality. Sadly, sure there might be a number of gamers not accessible.”
Pushed on whether or not any of these accidents have been critical, Arteta replied: “Now we have to attend on one in every of them.”
Requested whether or not the darkish arts label was honest, Arteta stated: “I do not know. It is opinions and that is it. However as I discussed earlier than I believe different issues might be components and that is it. We are going to use the info.
“[What are the other factors?] Effectively, if a participant is faking one thing which means he’ll stick with it and be concerned within the squad and play.”
Arteta pointed to a spell of time-wasting from Metropolis once they have been briefly down to 10 males and claimed that following Leandro Trossard‘s purple card, Arsenal learnt from the final time they performed Metropolis with a numerical drawback when dropping 5-0 in August 2021.
“We needed to play the sport that we needed to play,” Arteta stated. “The primary 10, quarter-hour, we could not with 11 versus 11. Then we bought a lot better. Then we have been thrown in a really completely different context and did what each staff does. They performed 30 seconds with 10 males. Look what they did for 30 seconds. It is regular what they did. We needed to do it differently.
“We learnt from the previous. Sadly we have been in the identical state of affairs a number of occasions. We have been in that very same state of affairs with Granit [Xhaka sent off] after 38 minutes and we misplaced 5-0. We might higher be taught. If not I might be thick, very thick.”
Metropolis striker Erling Haaland was caught on digital camera at full-time telling Arteta to “keep humble” and requested for his response, Arteta stated: “It is a part of soccer, a part of sport. After the sport, all that goes away and we transfer on. That is it.”