Arsenal red cards: Are the Gunners better with ten men under Mikel Arteta?
Arsenal have received 13 red cards under Mikel Arteta, more than any other team in the Premier League during his tenure. Maybe it's a deliberate tactic.
Planet Sport goes back through the Arteta reds to see if there's any truth in it.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang vs Crystal Palace (Jan 11, 2020)
Aubameyang fell foul of VAR, seeing red in the 65th minute for a potential ankle-breaker on Palace's Max Meyer.
The two sides were locked together at 1-1 at the time - Aubameyang having scored the Arsenal goal - and there was no further scoring. However, Arsenal could have won it in the closing stages, with Vicente Guaita superbly tipping a Nicola Pepe effort on to the post.
🟡 ➡️ 🔴
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 11, 2020
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is sent off!
He was originally shown a yellow card for his challenge on Max Meyer, but had it raised to a red after a VAR check! pic.twitter.com/1eV91CF32Y
David Luiz vs Chelsea (Jan 21, 2020)
With the match goalless, Luiz received his marching orders in the 26th minute after hauling down Tammy Abraham in the box. Jorginho stepped up to convert the resultant penalty but Arsenal fought back to draw the game 2-2, Gabriel Martinelli and Hector Bellerin with the goals, the last of which came in the 87th minute.
Nightmare return to Stamford Bridge for David Luiz, who is sent off following Shkodran Mustafi's error 🔴
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 21, 2020
Chelsea lead 1-0 thanks to Jorginho's penalty... pic.twitter.com/tkJeqZtXCd
David Luiz vs Manchester City (Jun 17, 2020)
Already trailing 1-0, Arsenal were reduced to ten men in the 49th minute when substitute Luiz brought down Riyad Mahrez. Kevin De Bruyne scored the subsequent penalty but it took City until the 91st minute to add a third, Phil Foden adding the gloss.
Eddie Nketiah vs Leicester (Jul 7, 2020)
The Gunners were leading 1-0 through an Aubameyang penalty when Nketiah was dispatched via VAR for a high tackle on James Justin in the 75th minute. Jamie Vardy equalised nine minutes later but Arsenal clung on for a point.
RED CARD! Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah is sent off for a dangerous tackle after a VAR review 🎥
— GOAL (@goal) July 7, 2020
He'd only been on the pitch for three minutes 🤨#ARSLEI pic.twitter.com/5Fd0ZiCxwL
Nicolas Pepe vs Leeds (Nov 22, 2020)
Outplayed even with 11, Arsenal hung on to seal a 0-0 draw after Leeds rattled the woodwork three times against their shorthanded visitors.
PEPE SENT OFF 🟥
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 22, 2020
The Arsenal man headbutts Ezgjan Alioski off the ball and is shown a straight red card
📺 Watch on Sky Sports PL
📱 Follow #LEEARS here: https://t.co/ikn2qWt06u
📲 Download the @SkySports app! pic.twitter.com/ZjeVi3H4MC
Granit Xhaka vs Burnley (Dec 13, 2020)
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes Granit Xhaka’s red card in the defeat to Burnley showed how committed his players are to addressing their Premier League slump pic.twitter.com/C5ecSTzvQ3
— PA Dugout (@PAdugout) December 14, 2020
Gabriel vs Southampton (Dec 16, 2020)
With the score locked at 1-1, Gabriel picked up his second yellow card in the 62nd minute to again put Arsenal up against it. That he'd only been booked four minutes previously somehow made it even worse.
Southampton went on to dominate the final half-hour but it was the Gunners who came closest to snatching all three points, Rob Holding crashing a head against the crossbar.
Another RED CARD for @Arsenal 😳
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 16, 2020
The Gunners are down to 10 men after Gabriel is shown a second yellow...#PLonPrime #ARSSOU pic.twitter.com/ll6Q2UKBA8
David Luiz vs Wolves (Feb 2, 2021)
A sending-off that changed the flow of the game and one for which Luiz can actually count himself a tad unfortunate. Running to try and catch up with Willian Jose, Luiz made the slightest of contact and down went the Wolves man in the box. Red card for Luiz, penalty scored by Ruben Neves and it's back to 1-1 in first-half injury time.
Genuine question - what’s the difference between an accidental handball (being waved away) and this accidental knee clip being a pen & red card? pic.twitter.com/qYVdJAyZRJ
— Adrian Clarke (@adrianjclarke) February 2, 2021
Bernd Leno vs Wolves (Feb 2, 2021)
But not before Bernd Leno also saw red after a complete misjudgement in the 72nd minute saw the ball hit his arm outside the area. Thomas Partey made way for sub keeper Runar Runarsson and the nine men of Arsenal even fashioned a couple of chances in the 90th minute, Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka both seeing shots blocked.
Dani Ceballos vs Villarreal (Apr 29, 2021)
A second yellow saw Ceballos receive his marching orders in the 57th minute of the Europe League semi-final. The Gunners were already 2-0 down but gave themselves hope by snatching an away goal in the 73rd minute courtesy of a Pepe penalty.
Granit Xhaka vs Manchester City (Aug 28, 2021)
The Gunners were already 2-0 down when Xhaka saw red for a reckless lunge on Joao Cancelo in the 35th minute. And it only got worse for the visitors who were humbled 5-0 and saw their hosts outshoot them 24-1. Martin Keown went on to call it "a real sad day for Arsenal Football Club".
Look away, Arsenal supporters...
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) August 28, 2021
🟥 Granit Xhaka is sent off for a reckless lunge on João Cancelo.
The correct decision according to Peter Walton. pic.twitter.com/dDDPsZCqyr
Gabriel vs Manchester City (Jan 1, 2022)
Arsenal's 100th Premier League sending off was more daft than memorable. Not long after Martinelli had missed an open goal to put his side 2-1 up, Gabriel picked up a second yellow for throwing out an arm to poleaxe Gabriel Jesus - on the half-way line, miles from danger.
"This is stupid, immature, petulant... What do you think you are achieving?"
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 1, 2022
"The worrying thing is it didn't surprise us, it will continue to happen."@rioferdy5 and @JoleonLescott have no sympathy for Gabriel for losing his head when emotions were running high. pic.twitter.com/9qgYi99eIf
Granit Xhaka vs Liverpool (Jan 13, 2022)
Only 24 minutes had elapsed when Xhaka saw red for a reckless last-man lunge on Diogo Jota. Nevertheless, with a spot in the final of the Carabao Cup on the line, Arsenal adopted a compact shape and restricted their lacklustre hosts to very few clearcut chances.
Finishing 0-0, there is still all to play for in next week's second leg.
RED CARD! 🟥
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 13, 2022
Arsenal's Granit Xhaka is sent off after a reckless last man challenge on Liverpool's Diogo Jota pic.twitter.com/n71xpYPzRW