Guardiola admits Man City got lucky v Arsenal

Pep Guardiola conceded that his Manchester City side were fortunate to escape with a point against Arsenal in a dramatic encounter at the Etihad Stadium, where a controversial refereeing decision played a pivotal role in denying Mikel Arteta’s side a famous victory.

The game ended 2-2, but it was Arsenal who left Manchester feeling aggrieved after a contentious red card for Leandro Trossard turned the tide in City’s favour.

Despite the setback, Arteta spoke of his immense pride in his team’s resilience and fight, as they came agonisingly close to securing their first win at the Etihad since 2015.

The flashpoint of the match occurred in the final moments of the first half when Trossard was shown a second yellow card for allegedly delaying the restart of play.

The Belgian winger appeared to be in the motion of kicking the ball when referee Michael Oliver blew his whistle, while a Manchester City player remained on the ground, clutching his back, making it unclear what restart Trossard could have delayed.

This decision left Arsenal down to 10 men for the entire second half, a situation that allowed City to apply relentless pressure and eventually snatch a point through John Stones’ injury-time equaliser.

Speaking after the match, Guardiola admitted that his side were fortunate to salvage a draw. “Raya made two or three saves that the second ball was not with us and then John was there. It’s chaos and a little bit lucky. It’s difficult,” he said, acknowledging the frantic nature of City’s equaliser.

He went on to praise Arsenal’s defensive resilience, stating, “Congratulations to Arsenal for being so strong mentally to block for a long, long time. That’s not easy but we were patient.”

The Manchester City manager also recognised the impact of the red card, noting how it altered the dynamic of the game. “After, 10 against 11 is [a] different [game]. They defended so deep and we can cross, but it’s not easy with Ben White, Gabriel, William Saliba.

“They defend really good,” he remarked, highlighting Arsenal’s impressive defensive effort despite being at a numerical disadvantage.

“It’s a good point for us,” he added.

Arsenal’s performance was one of immense determination and discipline, qualities that did not go unnoticed by Arteta, who was full of praise for his players’ efforts. Reflecting on the match, Arteta said, “We know how difficult it is already against this team here, that’s the reason why they haven’t lost for over a year [edit – it’s almost two years].

“We struggled in the first 10 to 15 minutes to control certain spaces and they scored the goal, but we reacted incredibly well.”

Arteta emphasised the strength of character shown by his team, especially after the red card: “The team showed again that it’s ready in any context, that it’s strong, with people cramping against 10 men.

“For 56 minutes to do what we’ve done is remarkable and it’s a shame that at the end we haven’t managed to win the game.”

His pride in his players’ spirit was evident, as Arsenal managed to hold their ground against the reigning champions, despite the odds being heavily stacked against them.

The sense of déjà vu was palpable for Arsenal fans, who felt once again that their team had been treated differently by officials.

Just a week earlier, the same referee, Michael Oliver, opted not to show a second yellow card to Liverpool‘s Dominik Szoboszlai for a similar action, raising questions about the consistency of officiating in such high-stakes matches.

Arteta revealed that his message to the players at half-time was about adapting to the challenge and embracing the fight ahead. “We had to adapt to the context, explain the game that we have to try to play, and how we could prevent certain things, not all of them – that’s going to be impossible for 56 minutes, especially mentally.

“We had to be ready to be so disciplined, and make a lot of defensive actions because we knew the game that was coming,” he explained.

Despite the disappointing end to the match, Arteta remained focused on the positives, highlighting the incredible spirit his team displayed. “We came here to win, that’s the reality. And within the difficulty, obviously we were thrown an aspect that we didn’t think about. But we got at least a draw, and we have to move on,” he added.

As Guardiola confessed that City were “a little bit lucky,” Arteta’s pride in his players stood out as the defining emotion of the evening.

Arsenal’s ability to push Manchester City to their limits, even with 10 men, demonstrated that this Gunners side is capable of challenging the very best, and Arteta’s words underscored that belief.

Ultimately, while Arsenal were left with a sense of what might have been, both managers’ post-match reflections painted a clear picture: Guardiola recognised his team’s good fortune, while Arteta was left to celebrate a display of courage and resilience that showed his Arsenal side can compete with the very best, even in the most challenging of circumstances.