Arsenal secured a 2-2 draw against Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
The Gunners took a 2-1 lead at the break at the Etihad Stadium, but they were reduced to ten men after losing Leandro Trossard.
The Belgian winger saw a red card during the game, a decision Mikel Arteta can’t accept, although almost all pundits have suggested that Trossard had made a mistake.
Arteta was asked if he had reminded his players against kicking the ball away in his press conference ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup tie against Bolton.
“For passing the ball,” Arteta responded, as quoted by the Daily Mail.
He added: “Just leave the ball, don’t touch the ball. We play without the ball.”
Oliver Holt, the chief writer for the Daily Mail, has criticised Arteta, saying that the Gunners boss is “losing his head” again, and it’s a “shame”.
He wrote on X: “It’s such a shame that Arteta is losing his head again, this time over the Trossard dismissal.
“The idea that Trossard was passing the ball to Martinelli when he booted it up into the air is just funny. Own the mistake or else it’s just going to happen again. And again.”
Is Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta playing mind games?
We don’t know what was said in the dressing room, and there could be a high possibility that Arteta might have told Trossard that he made a mistake that shouldn’t be repeated.
At the same time, the Gunners boss is giving a strong message that he backs his midfielder completely, and he is ready to take criticism from the media for doing it.
It can backfire completely, and it may turn out that he is losing the plot.
Arsenal have made an unbeaten start to the new season, and they are expected to challenge for the Premier League title this season.
They had a great opportunity to pick up all three points against Man City, but a late goal from John Stones ensured they had to be satisfied with just a point.
