- Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard was sent off just before half-time against Man City
- His second yellow card was for kicking the ball away and delaying a restart
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Leandro Trossard became the second Arsenal player to be sent off in the Premier League this season when he saw red just before half-time in Sunday’s clash at Manchester City.
Trossard was shown a yellow card in the 34th minute for a tactical foul on Savinho but it was his second booking that really caused controversy.
Just like Declan Rice against Brighton last month, Trossard picked up a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.
The Belgian fouled Bernardo Silva in the eighth minute of first-half added time before hoofing the ball clear.
Referee Michael Oliver had already blown his whistle for the foul and was convinced that Trossard had been deliberately trying to delay the restart – something officials were told to clamp down during pre-season briefings.
Arsenal star Leandro Trossard was sent off just before half-time against Man City on Sunday
Trossard was shown two yellow cards by the ref, including a second for kicking the ball away
Arsenal have now received two red cards resulting from kicking the ball away this season, after Declan Rice (right) picked up a second yellow for delaying a restart against Brighton
Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville both agreed that Trossard knew what he was doing.
Carragher said: ‘There’s no doubt he’s heard the whistle but it comes so quickly after the whistle it means he can get away with it. But he knows what he’s doing,’
Neville added: ‘The reason he (Oliver) knows he’s heard the whistle is because he’s half pulled out of kicking it away. He doesn’t go fully through it.’
Carragher continued: ‘What is he doing? The position his team find themselves in, and how pivotal these games are when you’re looking at points totals at the end of the season. Ridiculous thing to do.’
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was visibly furious with the decision to dismiss Trossard.
However, he aimed his frustration at the officials, rather than his player, and he and his coaching staff hugged Trossard after he trudged off the field.
Neville reacted to this by adding: ‘They might not see that the same at the end of the game. They might look upon it as stupidity and I know they’ve given him a hug but I think they’ll be disappointed with him when they reflect on it.’
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hugged Trossard after he walked off the field at the Etihad Stadium
Arteta directed his frustration at the fourth official, rather than at his ill-disciplined player
Gary Neville said that Arteta might feel differently after taking time to reflect on the red card
Jamie Carragher called Trossard’s decision to kick the ball away a ‘ridiculous thing to do’
Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott appeared to agree. He summed up the incident by simply saying: ‘You kick a ball away, you’re going to get a booking.’
Meanwhile, Roy Keane said: ‘Do you not think you have the mindset when you’re on a yellow card that you do not give the referee a chance to send you off? You can say it’s harsh all you want. It’s a yellow card.’
There was also a lack of sympathy for Trossard on social media.
One Arsenal fan tweeted: ‘No sympathy for Trossard whatsoever. He’s absolutely booted the ball away after the whistle. Brainless. Utterly brainless. There is no defending that one.’
Trossard’s red card came when his side were leading 2-1.
City opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Erling Haaland netted his 100th goal for the club.
But Arsenal turned the game around thanks to strikes from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Arsenal held the lead until the 98th minute when John Stones made it 2-2 and secured a dramatic draw.
