Arsenal 1-2 Man City: Gabriel, not VAR, let Gunners down in defeat

Emotions are still running high after the opening Premier League game of 2022 between Arsenal and Manchester City, with the post-mortem centred on the questionable officiating by Stuart Attwell and the continued inconsistency of VAR. 

Gooners are clearly livid after the 2-1 defeat which continued their wretched run of results against the Cityzens. Saturday’s loss was the North London side’s 10th successive Premier League reverse against Pep Guardiola’s side, a run that began in 2017. 

In that time, Arsenal have netted only three goals with City scoring a staggering 26 times. In fact, the London outfit were without a goal in this fixture since February 2019 and had not managed to breach the Manchester club’s rearguard in the previous four corresponding fixtures at the Emirates Stadium since scoring twice in a 2-2 draw in April 2017. 

However, Bukayo Saka’s effort on the half-hour changed that, and it was no less than Mikel Arteta’s team deserved. 

This time, the Gunners appeared to show a certain belief against Pep’s side that was missing in those preceding meetings. They did not stand off the defending PL champions and allow them the freedom of the Emirates turf. Rather the hosts were aggressive and showed they can go toe to toe with the best side in the country, particularly transitioning with verve and purpose when they had the ball. 

Thus, another defeat rankles. Previous performances had broadly been passive with the Gunners’ acquiescence remarkably jarring. 

On Saturday, they showed something different and justifiably felt hard done by. 

Having said that, are Gooners misplacing their post-match anger? 

Admittedly, the refereeing was suspect and is likely to dominate post-match headlines, somewhat, fortunately, absolving Gabriel of his inane sending off on the hour. 

The centre-back received his marching orders in the 58th minute, receiving two yellows in two minutes to leave his team in the lurch for the rest of the game. A closer inspection shows both yellows were undoubtedly avoidable, further grating supporters considering the bigger picture. 

Supposedly, the first of the pair was an upshot of the Brazilian roughing up the penalty spot (others have argued it was for dissent) before Riyad Mahrez levelled from the spot, a mindless action that soon proved costly when the centre-back fouled Gabriel Jesus on halfway two minutes later and was shown red. 

The first yellow was avoidable and the second, in the knowledge he was booked seconds earlier, was frankly mindless. 

At 1-1, and with 11 men, Arsenal still carried a threat going forward and their purposeful transitions and menace hitherto suggested they were likely to pose a threat in the final 30 minutes with a lethargic City chasing the winner. 

Instead, an absent, self-isolating Arteta was probably pulling his hair out as his team understandably had to retreat for the rest of the game. It was not surprising that Gabriel Martinelli’s 58th-minute effort — seconds before Gabriel’s dismissal — was the Gunners’ last on New Year’s Day. 

Indeed, observant supporters will recollect a similar peccadillo against Southampton in December 2020, where the centre-back received two yellows in quick succession at an empty Emirates. 

The first saw Gabriel needlessly kick the ball away to prevent a quick free-kick on the halfway line, even though the hosts had enough bodies to deal with a swift restart and the second — similar to Saturday’s against City — occurred after he brought down Theo Walcott who spun away from the defender just inside the home side’s half. 

Arsenal’s latest defeat by City rankled owing to a performance that merited more. But Gabriel’s indiscretion meant they were fighting a losing battle for the final half-hour whereas they had a fighting chance 11-v-11. 

Gooners’ displeasure may be directed inappropriately.