Mikel Arteta has hit again at accusations of “dark arts” in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Manchester Metropolis and claimed he would have been “thick” to not study from earlier encounters with the champions.
Arsenal needed to play the entire of the second half with 10 males on the Etihad Stadium on Sunday after Leandro Trossard acquired a second yellow card for kicking the ball away in first-half stoppage time.
John Stones and Bernardo Silva accused the 10-man Gunners of “time-wasting” and “dirty” techniques after a string of their gamers went all the way down to obtain therapy throughout a stormy second interval.
Arsenal’s resistance was ultimately damaged when Stones scored a dramatic equalising purpose within the eighth minute of stoppage time however Arteta insists the problems afflicting his gamers have been real.
“I always prefer the facts rather than words, so let’s see who’s available tomorrow and then we can talk about dark arts,” he stated forward of their Carabao Cup tie at dwelling to Bolton on Wednesday.
“Sadly, some gamers will not be accessible tomorrow.
“Tomorrow you will find out, as soon as I give the line-up.”
Requested if any of the accidents are severe, Arteta stated: “We have to wait on one of them.”
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Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville are each having fun with the rising rivalry between Manchester Metropolis and Arsenal
Of the gamers who went down, Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Martinelli have been substituted, whereas goalkeeper David Raya, who additionally acquired therapy from the membership’s physios, was pictured limping as he left the bottom with a bandage round his knee.
An harm to Raya could be a selected concern to Arsenal forward of the assembly with Bolton given Neto, their second-choice goalkeeper, is cup-tied, whereas third-choice Tommy Setford has a suspected harm, leaving the 16-year-old Jack Porter subsequent in line.
Arteta provided extra optimistic information on Martin Odegaard, saying his captain is “a matter of weeks” away from returning regardless of fears of an extended lay-off along with his ankle harm. However Oleksandr Zinchenko is anticipated to overlook one other “few weeks” along with his calf drawback.
Pressed additional on the “dark arts” accusations, Arteta added: “It’s opinions and that’s it.
“Whoever says what they are saying usually are not going to retract their phrases. We’ll use the info.”
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Hearken to Erling Haaland’s feedback to Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta at full-time on the Etihad Stadium
In what may very well be interpreted as a reference to Rodri receiving therapy after colliding with Kai Havertz within the first few seconds of the sport, Arteta stated: “If a player is [feigning] something, he will carry on, he will be involved in the squad and he will play.”
Arteta additionally claimed Metropolis would have used comparable techniques, highlighting the temporary interval between Rodri being withdrawn along with his knee harm and Mateo Kovacic approaching to exchange him within the first half.
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Man Metropolis goalscorer John Stones says his aspect have turn into used to Arsenal utilizing ‘darkish arts’ after they play one another
“We had to play the game that we had to play,” Arteta stated. “In the first 10 or 15 minutes we couldn’t, then we got much better.
“After which we have been thrown into a really completely different context. Each group does it. They performed 30 seconds with 10 males, you have a look at what they did. It is regular. We needed to do it otherwise.”
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Arteta referenced earlier conferences with Metropolis wherein his aspect have been lowered to 10 males, after they have been crushed 5-0 in 2021 after a pink card to Granit Xhaka, then misplaced 2-1 on the Emirates Stadium later that season following a pink card to Gabriel Magalhaes.
“We learned from the past as well because unfortunately, we’ve been in that situation with them three times very recently,” he stated.
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A have a look at the closing moments between Manchester Metropolis and Arsenal, when Erling Haaland performed a key position in elevating tensions
“One was with Granit [Xhaka] after 38 minutes, and we conceded how many? I would be very thick if we didn’t learn from it.”
The two-2 draw on the Etihad was the ultimate leg of a gruelling week for the Gunners which noticed them beat Tottenham on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and play out a goalless draw away to Atalanta within the Champions League.
“The desire the team have to compete in any context, to win, to adapt to different circumstances, different competitions, different ways of playing, and handle that emotionally and physically in the way we have done is superb,” he stated.
“Happy? No, because we wanted to win the game [against City]. But understanding how tough that context is and how difficult it is and the things we have to deal with. And not only that, but issues as well with the amount of players we had out.
“I feel it is a vital enchancment and now we have to be happy with that. However not pleased as a result of we wish to win.”
Watch Arsenal vs Bolton reside on Sky Sports activities + from 7.15pm on Wednesday, kick-off at 7.45pm
