January 05, (THEWILL) – The English Football Association has charged Arsenal with failing to maintain control of their players during their tense Premier League match against Manchester City on New Year’s Day.
The Gunners were defeated by a late Rodri goal in stoppage time, and they felt aggrieved when Martin Odegaard was challenged by Ederson in the first half but was not awarded a penalty.
Arsenal maintained their lead, but were enraged when City was awarded a penalty after a VAR review, allowing them to equalise. Moments later, centre-back Gabriel was sent out for a second yellow card, resulting in nasty scenes as tempers flared.
Gabriel sarcastically praised the referee for his second yellow card, which came just minutes after he was cautioned for dissent following the allocation of City’s penalty, and a number of players expressed their displeasure with the circumstances.
The FA charge stems from that point in the game, according to a statement that read: “It is alleged that Arsenal FC failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the 59th minute and the club has until Friday [07/01/22] to respond.”
At the end of the game, there were some heated scenes, with Rodri celebrating his dramatic winner in front of the home crowd. The pitch was then bombarded with projectiles.
Some travelling supporters let off blue flares, which resulted in further objects being thrown between competing groups of fans, as well as one supporter making their way onto the pitch.
As a result of their failure to regulate their supporters, the Gunners are anticipated to face an investigation.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
