Emery frustrated by red card as top-four hopes take a hit
Arsenal manager Unai Emery said he disagreed with the first-half red card of Ainsley Maitland-Niles after his side suffered a third successive Premier League defeat with a 3-0 loss at Leicester City yesterday.
Arsenal have conceded three goals in three successive topflight matches for the first time since 1967 in defeats to Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers and now Leicester, leaving their top-four hopes hanging by a thread.
Nevertheless, Emery praised his players for performing well with a numerical disadvantage, despite the embarrassing nature of the goals.
Maitland-Niles was booked for a shove on Ben Chilwell, before collecting a second yellow card for a foul on James Maddison at the King Power Stadium.
“I don’t agree with the first yellow card,” Emery said. “I don’t think it was a yellow card. Maybe the first yellow card is not a foul. It was just seven minutes into the game and I don’t agree.
“The players worked very well. I am proud of them. With one player less they continued our gameplan, first to be together and more defensively strong and in attacking moments to take our chance.
“But the first goal has conditioned the result and we were better on the pitch with one player less. But ... they scored the second goal and finished the match.”
Youri Tielemans was allowed an unmarked header to open the scoring for Leicester in the 59th minute from a James Maddison cross.
Arsenal were then exposed twice by Jamie Vardy in the closing stages, once from a goal-kick that was missed by their entire backline, then a stoppage-time tap-in after Ricardo Pereira was allowed to stroll unchallenged into the penalty area.
Emery, however, refused to offer analysis on the nature of the Leicester goals and pointed instead to the red card as the pivotal moment of the game.
“Our gameplan was to be strong and our defensive moments and in attacking moments to take our chances attacking their back four,” he said. “We started very well, with good positioning and defensively not a lot of problems.
“They were with the possession but the idea at home in football is to control possession and we were good on the pitch.”
Arsenal face a critical week for their Uefa Champions League ambitions with the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday followed by a must-win fixture at Brighton & Hove Albion next weekend.
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers was understandably delighted with the result and the performance of his players. “Firstly, our defence was nice and aggressive and we pressed the game really well,” he said. “When it was 11 versus 11 I thought we were the better team.
“There were areas we could be better in but the energy, pressing, quailty and three outstanding goals. I’m very pleased we got our reward for our hard work.”
I don’t agree with the first yellow card. I don’t think it was a yellow. It was just seven minutes into the game UNAI EMERY Arsenal manager