Soccer

SEVERAL Manchester City stars were left unhappy at Arsenal for their “dark arts” during Sunday’s crunch clash at the Etihad.And according to the stats, they may well have a point…Man City stars were unhappy with Arsenal’s antics yesterdayCredit: RexMikel Arteta’s side have been accused of the ‘dark arts’Credit: APPep Guardiola’s side took the lead on nine minutes, when Erling Haaland prodded home following Savinho’s through ball.Arsenal subsequently turned the game on its head before half-time, with goals by Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel handing them the lead.The match turned deep into first half stoppage time, when Leandro Trossard was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.Mikel Arteta’s team tried desperately to hang on to their 2-1 lead, having just 12.5 per cent possession in the second half.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut City’s dominance finally told in the eighth minute of stoppage time, when John Stones bundled the ball into the net.Following the 2-2 draw, many City players weren’t shy in voicing their displeasure at Arsenal’s tactics.Bernardo Silva told TNT Sports Brasil: “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.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”I’m glad we always enter the pitch to try to win every match.”Goalscorer Stones, who had watched much of the game from the bench before coming on in the 78th minute, added of Arsenal: “They slow the game down.Fans all spot Wright’s reaction to Hart screaming in his face after Man City goal against Arsenal “They get the keeper on the floor so they can get some information on to the pitch. We had to control our emotions during those tough times.”I wouldn’t say they have mastered it but they have done it for a few years now so we knew to expect that.”You can call it clever or dirty, whichever way you want to put it, but they break up the game which upsets the rhythm.”They use it to their advantage and we dealt with it very well.”‘THE DARK ARTS’City skipper Kyle Walker then pulled no punches while talking to BBC Radio 5 Live: “As a football match, it is a great spectacle for the Premier League.”Probably not so much certain stuff – I think it’s part and parcel of the game and we’ll say the dark arts.”I think as a Manchester City fan or player, you are obviously frustrated. As an Arsenal manager, he is going to say well played and well managed.”Manuel Akanji, when asked about the Gunners’ dark arts, defiantly said: “Yeah, but in the end we always won the title and I don’t think it’s going to be different this year.”THE STATS BACK THEM UPStatistics compiled by Statsperform show that City stars may well be right to complain.So far this season, Arsenal have wasted the most time on average when the game stops for corners, free-kicks, goal kicks, kick-offs, penalties, drop balls and throw-ins.Incorporating data from all of those categories, the Gunners take an average of 33.5 seconds each time – the joint-longest in the league alongside Aston Villa.By comparison, their North London rivals Tottenham take just 24.3 seconds in the same situations.While Liverpool waste the least time, clocking average delays of just 23.7 seconds.City, meanwhile, take 26.4 seconds on average.In fact, Arsenal’s delay time is only beaten by two sides in Europe’s top five leagues.Lille pip them at 35.6 seconds per delay, while Genoa take 35.8 seconds on average.Arsenal have become renowned as a strong set piece team – perhaps partly because of how they take their time.The Gunners take a staggering 44.3 seconds to take their corners on average, more than any other side.For comparison, Southampton take 26.2 seconds, with Spurs averaging 27.3 seconds.It’s a similar tale for goal kicks, with David Raya wasting 40 seconds on average for each of his.READ MORE SUN STORIESThat’s 3.5 seconds more than the next highest tally, which is Ipswich’s 36.5 seconds.For comparison, Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario takes just 17.4 seconds on average to take his goal kicks – the quickest time in the Premier League. More

IAN WRIGHT fumed at Erling Haaland and branded him a “coward” for throwing the ball at Gabriel.Manchester City salvaged a draw against title challengers Arsenal in a feisty affair at the Etihad.Ian Wright fumed with Erling HaalandCredit: X @IanWright0Haaland threw the ball at Gabriel’s head after Man City’s equaliserCredit: Sky SportsThe pair clash during the matchCredit: GettyJohn Stones scored with seconds left in stoppage time and Haaland picked up the ball and threw it against the back of Gabriel’s head.The defender was unaware of who the culprit was as he had covered his face with his shirt, prompting Wright to blast Haaland’s actions.The Arsenal legend also took exception to Leandro Trossard’s first-half red card, claiming he was harshly dismissed.But the pundit was particularly aggravated by Haaland and expressed his disappointment with the lethal goalscorer.READ MORE ON ARSENALWright said: “The Trossard sending off. Of course in the moment you’re frustrated it’s 2-1, I’m thinking ‘yes we’ve got them’.”And then we get sent off for something, let’s face it it’s f***ing foolishness what they’re getting sent off for now.”So in the moment yeah, but like again he should not be sent off for that, but you know what really boiled me up properly was Haaland’s cowardly move.”Throwing the ball at Gabi’s [Gabriel] head when he’s not looking. When Gabi’s back is turned to him, a real coward’s move. Gabi would look you in the eye.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSWe thought games like this had been lostSunSport’s NEIL CUSTIS hails chaotic Man City vs Arsenal clash as a return to the Premier League of yesteryear.FOR two teams who have done so much to take the game forward this really was a tremendous throwback.We thought these games had been lost.Real feisty encounters between two rivals fighting for the top honours.How we used to love it when Manchester United came up against Arsenal when Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger were in charge.When Roy Keane, watching on as a TV pundit here, used to clash with Patrick Vieira before a ball had been kicked.The Manchester derbies used to have it as well.In fact that were clashes everywhere throughout the league.Since then the emphasis on the beauty of the game, the tactical side, the ball playing centre-back, the false nine, the inverted full-backs have all come to the fore.But English football still loves something like this.Compare this to the two matches between this pair last season not least the really STALEmate here.Then along comes a blood and thunder classic.A match to set the tone for what we all hope will be a real title tussle to the end but with that added edge.While these two managers maybe good friends who knows we may even get the niggly comments in pre-match press conferences about each others teams.We knew we were in for something a bit different as straight from the kick-off Kai Havertz charged into Rodri and left him flawed.The first players’ melee ensued.Foreign coaches often scratch their heads as to why English crowds love stuff like this.Love a thumping tackle, or a bit of a barney.How that as much as any sweeping move gets them to the edge of their seats and there was plenty of that here.Jurrien Timber was employed on the right to combat the pace of Jeremy Doku.SO Doku just charged into him and floored him.Rodri was clearly seen as one of City’s key men so at a corner Thoams Party followed up Havertz’s early example and caught him behind the knee, and the player hobbled out of the action.Gabriel and Erling Haaland was a classic battle between a big centre-forward and an Arsenal centre-back who performs like greats of old like Tony Adams and Martin Keown.A player for whom a thumping tackle warrants the same high fives or celebrations as something defining at the other end of the pitch.Haaland did brilliantly to pull away William Saliba and slip behind Gabriel for his goal.Gabriel will have been fuming having kept the big Norwegian so quiet last season.He barely gave him another sniff of goal, barring a second-half header saved, as he stuck to him, the pair often pushing and shoving one another as Haaland became frustrated with his shadow.Leandro Trossard did not get his second yellow and therefore the only red for the actual barge on Bernardo as everyone first thought but for kicking the ball away after that.Both technical areas were a flurry of arm waving and shouting from the two managers.The staff on the two benches started having a go at each other and Guardiola had to intervene.In the press box one of Arsenal’s technical staff was losing it.As Arsenal players went down with cramp and played for time the boos went up.The fourth official was getting in the ear.Michael Oliver was being told he was not fit to referee by a large section of the home support.When Arsenal fans were spotted in the posh seats having been in the expensive tunnel club City fans shouted and pointed to try and get them ejected.Right at the end after City’s dramatic equaliser and the game restarted Haaland barged into Partey and every player on the pitch got involved even the two goalkeepers.At the final whistle the ref was harrangued.On the touchline Guardiola and Arteta hugged.”I’m looking at this like a really good defender vs striker for years to come. I really like watching them two and then you’re doing a coward’s move like that?”That’s what bothered me more than anything else. I thought you were bigger than that bro.”Arsenal vs Manchester City: Player Ratings BreakdownFormer Premier League ref Mark Halsey believes Haaland was lucky to escape punishment as he claimed his actions could have been deemed violent conduct if the ref had spotted it.He told SunSport: “You could argue it’s violent conduct because it’s like he’s throwing an object at someone’s head. It’s like he’s throwing a punch at someone’s head.”So he can count himself very lucky that [referee] Michael Oliver didn’t see that and VAR didn’t pick it up either.”It will be interesting to see if the FA take retrospective action over that incident because it could be construed as violent conduct.”Arsenal ratings vs Man CityTEN-MAN Arsenal came desperately close to beating Man City.Unfortunately for Mikel Arteta’s men, John Stones popped up in the 98th minute to score an equaliser with the match ending 2-2.Here’s how the players rated…DAVID RAYA – 9Well beaten for Haaland’s opener but continued his impressive start to the season with some super second half stops – notably from Haaland and Gvardiol. RICARDO CALAFIORI – 8A full debut the Italian won’t forget. Didn’t get close enough to Savinho for the opening goal but made amends with his stunning long range curler to level it.GABRIEL – 9Planted one header over but made no mistake with his second one just before the break to score for the second straight weekend.WILLIAM SALIBA – 8Clattered by Haaland early on and lost the Norwegian for City’s goal – but dusted himself down and led the rearguard action for the visitors superbly.JURRIEN TIMBER – 8Asked to play an unfamiliar role on the right but did a great job for his boss keeping the livewire Doku quiet – and did fine when Pep changed it around too.GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 7Caused Walker plenty of problems in the first half. Played the ball back for Calafiori to score and teed up another great chance for Trossard.DECLAN RICE – 7Helped Arsenal work their way back into the game after early onslaught – and protected the back four so well when City were camped on the edge of the box.THOMAS PARTEY – 7Quick thinking from free-kick led to equaliser – also involved in the collision with Rodri that changed the course of the game.BUKAYO SAKA – 6Always a threat with his corners – not least when Arsenal got their second. Subbed at the break to make way for an extra defender.LEANDRO TROSSARD – 4Steered good chance over. Booked for pulling back Savinho then a second yellow for barge on Silva and then delaying the restart. Stupid from the Belgian.  KAI HAVERTZ – 7Early collision with Rodri and caused a few problems in the first half but then had to focus on helping his 10 man team out defensively.SUBSWHITE – 7(For Saka 46) – Thrown on to shore up the defence at the break – and did exactly that.KIWIOR – 6(For Calafiori 74 )– Gave the Italian a rest for the final few minutes and kept it tight.JESUS – 6(For Martinelli 87) – Some good pressing against his old team in the closing minutesLEWIS SKELLY – 6(For Timber 90) – Good experience for the youngster but was bizarrely booked before even coming on for his debut.Click here to read more on Arsenal. More