LATEST NEWS: VAR CHEATED ARSENAL! PGMOL has finally clarified the incident involving Trossard’s red card and the two potential penalties that were not awarded to Arsenal due to an incorrect VAR decision—it’s clear that VAR has been unfavorable to us this season.
Mikel Arteta’s plans at halftime were thrown into disarray when Leandro Trossard received a red card against Manchester City just before the break. After fouling Bernardo Silva, Trossard kicked the ball away following the referee’s whistle, prompting an immediate dismissal from Michael Oliver. The Arsenal players were visibly shocked by the decision, protesting as Trossard slowly made his way off the field.
Arteta, equally frustrated, engaged in a heated discussion with the fourth official, even pulling his jumper over his head in exasperation as rain poured down at the Etihad. His frustration was apparent as he gestured animatedly from the sidelines, needing to quickly reassess his strategy deep into stoppage time. Despite his irritation, Arteta managed to keep his composure.
As Trossard walked off the pitch, visibly upset, Arteta met him on the sidelines to offer a supportive hug while the coaching staff guided the player away, still seething from the incident.
Despite this setback, Arsenal managed to go into halftime with a 2-1 lead. They had initially fallen behind due to an early goal from Erling Haaland, but Riccardo Calafiori equalized with an impressive strike on his full Premier League debut. Just before the halftime whistle, Gabriel scored with a header from a Bukayo Saka corner, giving Arsenal the lead in stoppage time.
This incident marked the second time this season that an Arsenal player had been sent off for kicking the ball away after a whistle. Earlier in the season, Declan Rice received a red card under similar circumstances during a match against Brighton, following a free-kick incident.