“I have all the information” - Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta hits back at Manchester City with cryptic message after ‘dark arts’ claim
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has issued a response after Manchester City players accused his side of playing dirty in their Premier League clash last weekend (22 September).
The Gunners drew 2-2 against the Cityzens in an entertaining showdown at the Etihad that saw tensions boil over. Erling Haaland opened the scoring for Manchester City before first-half goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes put Arsenal 2-1 up at the break.
The first period saw Rodri sustain a potential season-ending injury, while Leandro Trossard was sent off after receiving a second yellow card. After being reduced to 10 men, the Gunners sat back for most of the second period.
Multiple Arsenal players could be seen going down on the pitch to receive treatment, which angered a few Manchester City players. John Stones, Manuel Akanji, and Bernardo Silva accused Arsenal of time-wasting after the game.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal's EFL Cup clash against Bolton Wanderers this week, Arteta was asked about complaints over his supposed 'dark arts tactics'. The Spaniard declined to comment on the matter but added (via Fabrizio Romano on X):
"No comment. I've been there before, I was there for four years [at Man City]. I have all the information, so I know. Believe me."
While the north Londoners put in an effortful defensive showing in the second half, they failed to maintain their lead till the end. John Stones found the back of the net in stoppage time to secure a point for Manchester City.
What Manchester City players have said about Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's 'dark arts'
Manchester City stars John Stones, Manuel Akanji, and Bernardo Silva have all weighed in on Mikel Arteta's alleged dirty tactics after their draw against Arsenal last weekend.
Stones claimed that the Gunners have done this for a number of years, explaining how they disrupt the opposition's flows using 'dirty' manoeuvres. He told the media after the game:
"I don't know if they've mastered it, they've done it [dark arts] for a few years. We know to expect that. You can call it clever or dirty, whichever way you want to put it. They break up the game and obviously it upsets the rhythm for everyone. They use it to their advantage.
"They use a side of football that not many teams do. Make it difficult, slow it down. Get the keeper on the floor to get some information on and we had to control our emotions in that time."
Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva could not believe that referee Michael Oliver entertained Arsenal's 'time-wasting' tactics in a heated rant. He said:
"Then the referee allowed a sequence of time-wasting events… The thing that bothers me the most is having a lot of meetings with the FA at the beginning of each season. They tell us they will control this kind of situation and will stop them, but in the end it doesn't have any worth. They say a lot but NOTHING happens!”
Akanji, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by the Gunners' antics as he was confident that Manchester City would defend the title for a fifth consecutive season this term.
When asked if the Gunners are a master of the dark arts, he said:
"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. Like I said, it's still early in the season. I think we're going to win the league again, and we won't focus too much on Arsenal."