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Arsenal receive new Leandro Trossard red card referee verdict as surprise Jeremy Doku point made

Leandro Trossard of Arsenal reacts to being sent off
-Credit: (Image: (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images))


Arsenal have been sent a new verdict on the red card handed out to Leandro Trossard in their Premier League clash against Manchester City. The Gunners, after initially conceding inside nine minutes with Erling Haaland on target, turned the game on its head before half time with goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes.

Just seconds before Michael Oliver was set to call an end to the opening 45 minutes, Trossard fouled Bernardo Silva before kicking the ball away and thus being shown a second yellow card. Down a man, Mikel Arteta's side did superbly well to repel every City attack until John Stones scored in the final stages of the clash.

Tempers flared in the aftermath of the equaliser with Haaland and Gabriel coming to blows and the Man City striker also having strong words for Arteta and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Though Arsenal cannot have too many complaints over Trossard's sending off, the apparent inconsistencies on display is where their anger lies.

Prior to the 29-year-old being shown his marching orders for delaying the restart, his fellow Belgian Jeremy Doku appeared to kick the ball away when Mateo Kovacic was penalised for a hand ball. In his post-match press conference, Arteta was asked about both incidents with his response telling of how annoyed he was.

"I prefer not to comment," he said when asked about Trossard. "I've seen it and it's that obvious so I'll leave it to you guys. I was already in big trouble trying to solve what happened on the pitch. It's not my problem to solve what happens off the pitch.

On Doku also appearing to delay the restart, he added: "That's what I'm saying. It's that obvious that it's not necessary to comment on it. It's the second time. I'm expecting 100 Premier League games to be, 10 against 11 or nine vs 10 this season. Let's see."

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In the wake of those two hugely controversial moments, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher offered his thoughts on both Trossard and Doku, with it clear he believes the two incidents were vastly different.

"Well no because it is a foul no doubt about that," he said on Sky Sports Ref Watch when asked if Trossard and Arsenal could have any complaints. "And what you would say is would the player have kicked the ball like that if there was no foul and the ball is in play? The answer is no, certainly not, because he is not going to pass to Martinelli like that."

"I feel for him because he has gone to pull out but it is too late, the damage is already done. We have already seen it earlier in the season, referees are very hard on it this season. He should know not to do it. The referees have been hard and fast on it.

"There is no doubt you could show me one or two that have got away (with it) but by and large the referees have been very very strong on it. And what I would say is if one player gets away with it then it's not justification for another player saying 'I am being punished'."

Gallagher was then later asked why Doku went unpunished for performing a similar act. "I feel for them with Joao Pedro because I think that was one that got away from them. This one, if you look, I don't think this is kicking the ball away and delaying the restart.

"The free-kick is in the wrong place, you see Michael Oliver looking at him and saying you have got to move it back. Doku actually looks at the referee doesn't he.

"If you look, watch Doku here, the ball comes to him, he looks at the ref and then turns back to the Arsenal player to take the free-kick. I don't think that is delaying the restart, it's passing the ball back. I think there is a massive difference."