New footage has surfaced regarding Leandro Trossard’s controversial red card during the match against Manchester City, and it changes the perspective on the incident.
Trossard received a second yellow card from referee Michael Oliver for time-wasting during a critical Premier League game at the Etihad Stadium.
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Having already been cautioned, the Arsenal winger committed a foul on Bernardo Silva and then kicked the ball across the field.
Oliver quickly showed Trossard a second yellow, reducing Arsenal to 10 men just before halftime.
However, the newly released footage provides additional context and suggests the decision may have been unjust.
As Trossard prepared to kick the ball, the referee is seen with the whistle in his mouth and signaling for a free-kick, implying that the dismissal might have been overly severe.
Sent him off for delaying the game. Ref blew less than a second (guessing around 0.7 secs) before Trossard even touched it.
How he supposed to pull out of playing the ball in a split second? pic.twitter.com/OEFY61BiaH
— DasÖ (@Das_O4) September 22, 2024
At the time of the red card, Arsenal were leading 2-1, with goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel overturning Erling Haaland’s opener.
Despite being a man down, Mikel Arteta’s side nearly held out defensively until John Stones equalized in the final moments of the game.
Speaking after the match, Arteta said: “We were more efficient and went 2-1 up and then there were two incidents, very similar, one in particular, but had a very different outcome which then forces you to have a game which nobody wants to watch.
“I think it’s very clear. Very obvious. Hopefully what 100 per cent of what people thinks. It’s not my job to come here and judge what happened. My job is to survive in the most difficult environment you can throw in football for 55 minutes. And try to get things done to survive. That’s my job, the rest is not my job.”
Referencing a similar incident regarding Declan Rice against Brighton, the Arsenal manager added: “It’s already the second time it has happened in five games, which is really, really worrying if we want to see the best Premier League.
“Anyone that has played football or any sport [can see] it’s less than a second. Less than a second. The previous one [Doku] is more than a second. That’s it, simple.”
