Ian Wright Criticizes Leandro Trossard After Arsenal Star’s Red Card in Draw Against Manchester City
Arsenal played out a tense 2-2 draw against Manchester City, with John Stones scoring a 98th-minute equalizer, denying the Gunners a crucial victory. The North London side seemed poised to claim all three points before City’s late goal snatched the draw at the last moment.
The match opened with City taking the lead just nine minutes in, courtesy of a goal by Erling Braut Haaland. However, Arsenal responded quickly, with Riccardo Calafiori equalizing in the 22nd minute. As the first half neared its end, Gabriel Magalhães put Arsenal ahead, scoring in the first minute of stoppage time. At that point, Arsenal looked in control and on track for a significant win.
Unfortunately for the Gunners, a major blow came in the final moments of the first half. Belgian international Leandro Trossard received a second yellow card, resulting in a red that left Arsenal with ten men for the remainder of the game. Trossard had earned his first yellow for a reckless tackle on Bernardo Silva, and after the whistle, he worsened his situation by kicking the ball away. This act of frustration forced the referee to send him off, leaving Arsenal in a tough position for the second half.
The red card was a costly moment for Arsenal, with their manager, Mikel Arteta, clearly furious on the sidelines, pulling his jumper over his head in frustration. The loss of Trossard marked a turning point, as City took advantage of Arsenal’s reduced numbers and eventually scored the late equalizer.
After the match, Arsenal legend Ian Wright openly criticized Trossard’s actions. Speaking on Premier League Productions, Wright expressed his disappointment with the forward’s conduct. “I was quite disappointed with Trossard,” said Wright. “To kick the ball away in that situation, it was poor play from him.” Wright’s frustration was evident, as Trossard’s dismissal echoed a previous incident involving Declan Rice, who was sent off for a similarly avoidable situation against Brighton & Hove Albion.
If Arsenal had kept all eleven players on the field, they likely would have been confident in securing a historic victory, as they were moments away from their first win at the Etihad Stadium since 2015. However, the red card significantly hampered their ability to hold on, and they had to settle for a draw.
The result leaves Arsenal in fourth place in the Premier League table, with the dropped points potentially having a major impact on their title hopes. They will now focus on their upcoming matches, first hosting Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday before returning to league action against Leicester City on Saturday. While a win over City would have taken them to the top of the table, Arsenal will need to regroup and aim to return to winning form against the Foxes.