As Arsenal held on to secure a heroic draw at Manchester City, Paul Scholes could not help but wonder what might have been had two members of Mikel Arteta’s squad not let themselves down in key moments.
Although, it must be said, the Man United legend’s criticism of one Arsenal player certainly feels a lot more justified than his frustrations with the other.
Mikel Arteta did his best to defend Leandro Trossard as he became the second Gunners star within a matter of weeks to be sent off for kicking the ball away after the whistle had gone.
But Scholes feels that the Belgium international would have been fortunate if he did not pick up a another booking anyway following that full-blooded barge into the back of Bernardo Silva only seconds earlier.
Even Arsenal legend Ian Wright could not defend Trossard as he emulated Declan Rice in the worst possible manner.
Paul Scholes criticises Arsenal duo Leandro Trossard and David Raya
“He was stupid. Ridiculous really, kicking the ball away. You just can’t do it,” Scholes grumbles. “[Trossard] could have been done for the foul really. It was a stupid foul.
“A little bit of a nasty foul really. They can hurt you, those.”
If Trossard left his Arsenal team-mates with a mountain to climb at the Etihad – Arteta’s side pulling out their grappling hooks and hanging on for dear life before losing their footing with the summit in reach as John Stones levelled in the 98th minute – then David Raya certainly made up for what Scholes felt was a bit of a goalkeeping blunder early on.
Breezing into a gap left open by Arsenal’s usually rock-solid centre-back pairing – City boss Pep Guardiola labelled William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes ‘incredible’ before the game kicked off – Raya was helpless as Erling Haaland prodded a rather odd finish almost into the centre of the net.
“It was a brilliant game. I thought City, for the first 20, 25 minutes, were outstanding. They scored the goal, which you expect Haaland to score,” adds Scholes, an 11-time champion of England’s top flight under Sir Alex Ferguson.
“[But] I was a little disappointed with the goalkeeper to be honest with you. I thought it was a little bit easy [for Haaland to finish the chance].
“I know the goalkeeper was great throughout the game. But I thought it was a little bit easy to score that. He didn’t have to bend it round him, it was sort of a straight pass more than anything.”
Michael Oliver criticised for Riccardo Calafiori’s Arsenal stunner
If indeed that was a mistake from the Spain international – goalkeeping experts will undoubtedly have their own, more sympathetic, say – Raya certainly stepped up in the second half as Man City hammered on the door without managing to pick that Arsenal lock.
Raya would pull off a series of fine reaction stops. The pick of the bunch being one to keep out a fierce Josko Gvardiol volley.
The former Brentford and Blackburn Rovers glovesman could not really have done any more to deny Stones his last-gasp leveller too, throwing a leg at the shot and very nearly deflecting it onto the crossbar.
With all things considered – and despite the nature of City’s equaliser – Arsenal will be largely pleased with a point on the road at the Premier League champions.
Scholes also feels that, while Trossard’s red card has divided opinion, the London giants rode their luck at times too.
He could not believe referee Michael Oliver allowed Arsenal to take a quick free-kick in the build up to their equaliser after he had pulled Kyle Walker out of position for a chat.
“Then, obviously, Arsenal got back into it, scored the two goals,” adds Scholes, Gabriel netting with another header after Riccardo Calafiori scored with a strike Guardiola described as ‘exceptional’.
“I was a little bit disappointed with the referee from the off to be honest. I never felt he was really in control of the game. And when he brings Kyle Walker over, he does have to give him chance to get back into the game.
“He has got to give him time to get back into his position. I thought; ‘Wow, if they score here, he is in big trouble.”
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