Jamie Carragher reveals how ‘cheating’ Arsenal have exploited one rule to their advantage
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has claimed that Arsenal are gaining an advantage over opponents through goalkeeper David Raya.
A last-gasp John Stones equaliser saw Man City come from behind to draw 2-2 against the Gunners after Mikel Arteta’s side had played the whole of the second half with ten men.
With Arsenal up against it for much of the second half, Arteta’s men did as much as possible to disrupt and delay Man City with the Gunners time-wasting at every opportunity.
That brought some needle to the surface and intensified a growing rivalry but Akanji is confident his side will ultimately have the final say.
When ssked if Arsenal had mastered the game’s ‘dark arts’, Man City defender Manuel Akanji said: “Yes, I don’t think there are many better than them at it, but in the end we always won the title and I don’t think it’s going to be different this year.
“Yes, I don’t think there are many better than them at it, but in the end we always won the title and I don’t think it’s going to be different this year.
“Always when we play against them, that’s what they’re looking for – going hard in the duels, defence, 11 players in their own box and then go on set-pieces and try to score a goal.
“It worked for them so if they’re happy with the one point. We’re not, we tried to get more but that’s what they’re happy with.
“At the end of the day we’re still top of the league. We haven’t lost a game yet.”
In similar fashion to former Chelsea and Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho, Carragher believes Arsenal attempted to exploit a loophole where the referee has to blow his whistle if a goalkeeper goes down with an injury.
“When I mention the Mourinho thing, he was always ahead of the game in terms of trying to gain an advantage somewhere,” Carragher told The Overlap.
“There’s one thing I do notice Arsenal doing more than anyone. I don’t know if the stats back me up I think the goalkeeper goes down a lot more than other goalkeepers in tense situations.
“The rule is a goalkeeper can’t go off so that’s definitely one that the coaching staff at Arsenal are more switched on about that anyone else. I see Raya go down in pressure situations.”
Fellow pundit Paul Scholes responded: “Cheating that’s called isn’t it, Jamie?”
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To which Liverpool legend Carragher said: “It is but you said it so you can have the headline not me.”
Nope. All yours, Carra.
Arsenal would have gone top of the Premier League if they had hung on at the Etihad but they are fourth instead with three wins and two draws from their opening five matches.
And Scholes – who thought Arsenal might win the Premier League – is “a little bit disappointed” at the way Arteta’s team have started the new season.
Scholes added: “Arsenal, at some point, have got to beat them [Manchester City at the Etihad]. They nearly did it, and it was a great effort. I sat here at the start of the season and thought Arsenal might win the league, but I’ve been a little bit disappointed with their start to the season.
“Arsenal have been poor going forward this season. You look at all the goals they scored last year, and everyone was talking about getting a centre forward in the summer and you thought they probably didn’t need it. But five or six games in, it feels like Arsenal are struggling – it’s not quite clicking.”
