Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta booked after demanding yellow card for Man City star Rodri
Mikel Arteta, the coach of Arsenal, was shown a yellow card during the Community Shield match for demanding that Rodri of Manchester City be booked for a challenge on Kai Havertz. This incident highlights the slight tweaks to the rules where referees will be stricter on time-wasting.
Earlier in the contest, Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey was booked for a similar infringement. When Rodri fouled Havertz, the Arsenal team was frustrated that he did not receive a yellow card. Arteta, visibly angry on the touchline, gestured for the referee, Stuart Attwell, to book Rodri by mimicking the action of showing a card. However, instead of booking Rodri, Attwell showed a real yellow card to Arteta for his over-exuberance.
Partey had already been booked earlier in the match for tripping up Julian Alvarez. Additionally, he wasted a few seconds by kicking the ball away, which is something referees have been instructed to crack down on. As a result, Partey received a yellow card, although he was not the last player to be booked.
While Rodri escaped a yellow card, Alvarez was booked for a similar offense to Partey after kicking the ball away when given offside. Referees are now coming down harder on time-wasting players, and extra minutes are set to be awarded at the end of halves, similar to how it was done in the World Cup in Qatar.
These changes in the rules could have a significant impact on upcoming Premier League games, as they have already been implemented in the Championship and lower leagues. The Football League has already started its season, while the Premier League will resume next week.
In the match, Havertz, who was deputizing up front for the injured Gabriel Jesus, was also booked. Despite having two excellent chances, he was unable to convert them into goals. On the opposite side, Erling Haaland seemed quiet. Mateo Kovacic, who recently moved from Chelsea, made his debut for Manchester City, while Jurrien Timber made his debut for Arsenal.
To stay updated on the Arsenal vs. Manchester City match, you can listen to the full commentary live on talkSPORT and follow the latest updates on our live blog.
Mikel Arteta, head coach of English Premier League club Arsenal, has been booked after demanding a yellow card for Manchester City midfielder Rodri.
The incident occurred in the 67th minute of Sunday’s match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium. After the Manchester City midfielder had clashed with Arsenal defender Granit Xhaka, Arteta stepped out of his technical area to ask the fourth official, Andy Madley, to book Rodri.
As a result, Madley issued a yellow card to Arteta for entering the field of play and showing dissent towards the referee. Referee Jon Moss then had to caution Arteta further on advice from his linesman, leaving the Arsenal boss with no option but a confirmation of his yellow card.
Under the laws of the game, managers or players can be punished for showing dissent towards match officials. This drew criticism from City boss Pep Guardiola who sent a message to the referees’ organisation by saying, “It’s not necessary that the referees protect the players”.
Considering the incident, Arteta was contrite and said, “I think it was my mistake, I will take the blame. I will accept whatever the consequences are. I apologies for having done it but I think it was in the best interest of the player and safety of the game.
The outburst of Arteta has divided opinions among fans. Some think that he did the right thing and his actions were admirable, while others argue his actions were an attempt to influence the referee decision which goes against the laws of the game.
No matter what the opinion is, Arteta has accepted his punishment and his acceptance of the yellow card is a lesson learnt for everyone involved in the sport, especially for players and managers who have difficulty controlling their emotions in the heat of the moment.