Arsenal icon insists Gunners' 'dark arts' should be CELEBRATED after Man City draw

Arsenal person travel successful for disapproval for the mode they acceptable astir defending their pb against Manchester City but not everyone is opposed the the attack from Mikel Arteta's team

Former Arsenal prima Martin Keown has defended Mikel Arteta's tactics against Manchester City, making is wide helium has nary issues with alleged 'dark arts'.

Keown, a three-time Premier League victor with the Gunners, made 10 league appearances successful the 'Invincibles' season. That 2003-04 triumph remains the club's astir caller league triumph with Arsene Wenger successful charge, though they took the conflict to the last time past season.

Under Mikel Arteta, they were 2 minutes from moving apical of the league with a triumph astatine Manchester City connected Sunday. This was contempt playing fractional the crippled a antheral down and holding retired until John Stones forced location a last-gasp equaliser.

Several Arsenal players were shown yellowish cards for delaying play during the draw, with Leandro Trossard sent disconnected for a 2nd yellowish aft kicking the shot away. However, Keown has nary occupation with however his aged employers behaved astatine 2-1 up and so argued their tactics should beryllium celebrated.

"Mikel Arteta's men bash not merit the disapproval they've received for however they went connected to extract a effect from the Etihad Stadium," Keown wrote for The Mail. "They should beryllium celebrated for however cleverly they contained City, to the grade that Pep Guardiola's magnificent winning instrumentality relied connected John Stones scoring their latest-ever Premier League extremity to debar losing.

"Arsenal were starring 2-1, down to 10 men aft a ridiculous reddish paper for Leandro Trossard, and had 45 minutes to play against 1 of the world's top teams, the champions, searching for a 5th consecutive title. What other could they bash but marque definite they defended their slender vantage with everything they had?

"It's similar asking Frank Bruno to fto spell of Mike Tyson. You're begging to beryllium knocked out. I've heard the holier-than-thou comments coming from assorted voices wrong the game, arsenic if what Arsenal did was disfigured and unfair."

Should Arsenal's behaviour beryllium celebrated? Have your accidental successful the comments section

A fig of Manchester City players voiced their frustrations astatine Arsenal's behaviour aft the draw. Their manager Pep Guardiola took a antithetic approach, though, attempting to forestall his squad getting dragged in.

"Focus connected the crippled and support yourself,” the Catalan said. "Focus connected the game, absorption connected what we person to do. Try to bash what we've done for many, galore years. Defend yourself, that's each I ask. I cognize what the opponents are going to do. Tactically, determination is ever a mode to effort to bash it.

"The different behaviours we cannot control, truthful don't spell distant from what's important - the game. We are an honorable team. We spell retired determination and effort to bash our best."

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