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Arsenal vs Man City delayed as assistant referee is forced to drop out at last minute and replaced by Kevin Friend

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ARSENAL’S clash with Manchester City was DELAYED after the assistant referee was forced to be replaced just minutes before kick-off.

With the game set to get underway at 12:30pm GMT, it was announced as the players prepared to step out onto the pitch that a change in officiating had been confirmed.

Hatzidakis was withdrawn from the game at late noticeCredit: Getty
Friend has gone from being fourth official to running the line for the matchCredit: Getty

Assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis – who was due to be one of the two linesmen – was replaced by fourth official Kevin Friend.

In turn, there was no fourth official present for the first 30 minutes of the game.

The match kicked off a couple of minutes late before proceedings got underway in North London.

Friend then reverted to his role as fourth official at half-time, with Neil Davies stepping in as assistant referee.

Davies arrived at the Emirates shortly before Bukayo Saka’s opening goal.

And there was controversy early on in the match for the man in charge of the game – Stuart Attwell.

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Martin Odegaard burst into the Man City box and tried to push the ball beyond keeper Ederson only to go down under a challenge from the Brazilian.

Attwell only signalled for a corner and the incident was then reviewed by VAR.

But it was deemed to be a fair sliding tackle from Ederson who seemed to get his foot to the ball.

Attwell then had to make another huge decision in the second half as he sent off Arsenal defender Gabriel for two quickfire bookings with the score at 1-1.

Riyad Mahrez had levelled things up from the penalty spot, before Gabriel Martinelli then missed an open goal to put the Gunners back ahead.

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Gabriel was then given his marching orders and City would make the hosts pay.

Rodri bundled home a stoppage time equaliser to hand Pep Guardiola’s men an 11th Premier League victory in a row.

The champions now sit 11 points clear of Chelsea at the top of the table.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk

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