‘It’s a red card today. It’s a red card in Manchester’
Arsenal return to top of table with win at Emirates
Mikel Arteta has claimed that everything would be different for his Arsenal team in the Premier League title race if Manchester City had been reduced to 10 men in last Sunday’s pivotal game at the Eithad Stadium.
The Arsenal manager insisted that the City defender, Abdukodir Khusanov, should have been sent off for a last-man foul on Kai Havertz in the 53rd minute with the score at 1-1. City went on to win 2-1 and Arteta said nothing after the game about an incident that did not generate much controversy, the consensus being Khusanov had defended his position fairly.
But Arteta spoke out after Arsenal had beaten Newcastle 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday to move three points back in front of City at the top of the table, albeit having played an extra match. It was another occasion in which Arteta felt the opposition should have had a red card – specifically for the Newcastle goalkeeper, Nick Pope.
