Arsenal time-wasting? New footage shows Mikel Arteta tactic during Man City draw

Arsenal’s delaying tactics came into focus after their Premier League draw away to Manchester City and fresh footage of the Gunners’ behaviour has since come to light

New footage from Arsenal’s Premier League draw against Manchester City appears to show a previously unseen delaying tactic from the London side.

Arsenal played the entire second half a man down after Leandro Trossard’s red card, and defended resiliently in an effort to preserve their lead. It wasn’t to be, though, with John Stones equalising deep into stoppage-time.

Three Arsenal players picked up yellow cards in the second half, one of them before he even entered the field. Teenage midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly was carded midway through the second period, before making his Premier League debut later on.

Arsenal’s tactics drew criticism from their opponents, with Bernardo Silva among the most vocal. And now, fresh footage appears to shed light on the reasons behind Lewis-Skelly’s card.

The Mail has published images which appear to show Lewis-Skelly running away from the Gunners bench to communicate with goalkeeper David Raya. Raya would later ensure play was paused when he went down, seemingly injured.

Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville believed Raya was deploying “a tactic” when he went down. It was later confirmed that Lewis-Skelly, who would later come on after Jurrien Timber was forced off with cramp, was booked for “showing a lack of respect for the game”.

Two more Arsenal players received cards for time-wasting before the match was over. Declan Rice was booked seven minutes from time, with substitute Gabriel Jesus receiving the same punishment from Oliver in stoppage time before City found their equaliser, but Raya escaped without a booking.

Were Arsenal’s tactics just part of football? Have your say in the comments section

“There was only one team that came to play football. The other came to play to the limits of what was possible to do and allowed by the referee, unfortunately,” City midfielder Bernardo said. “But at the end we got a draw, the best we could get considering the context of the last moments of the match.

“We’re not happy as we wanted the three points, but personally I’m happy with the way we came to play and faced the game. I’m glad we always enter the pitch to try to win every match.”

The Portugal international claimed referee Oliver allowed Arsenal to perform “a sequence of time-wasting events”. Bernardo himself was booked late on for his protests.

“The thing that bothers me the most is having a lot of meetings with the FA at the beginning of each season,” he continued. They tell us they will control this kind of situation and will stop them, but in the end it doesn’t have any worth. They say a lot but nothing happens.”

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