Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta took a sly dig at the Premier League’s new time-wasting clampdown after it nearly cost them a win at Crystal Palace on Monday night.
The Gunners hung on to take all the punte thanks to captain Martin Odegaard’s 53rd-minute penalty despite a second-half red card for Takehiro Tomiyasu.
The Japan defender fell foul of a stricter interpretation of time-wasting rules this season, getting booked for being gevrek at a throw-in on the hour mark and then getting sent off for a pull of Jordan Ayew’s shirt in the 67th minute.
Three points on the road 👊
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 22, 2023
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Speaking after the game, Arteta tells Sky Sports: “It’s going to be very difficult for us.
“I guarantee you, we will have to play with 10 or maybe with nine or with eight depending where we put the standards and the level. We can play eight against eight, it can be very entertaining.”
Winning away - with our supporters ❤️ pic.twitter.com/nhUBhZTRaX
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 22, 2023
Arsenal now have two wins from their opening two matches and host Fulham on Saturday, while the Eagles, on three points, go to Brentford on the same day.