Arteta reacts after reports of EPL clubs expressing concern to PGMOL about Arsenal’s 'dark arts tactics'

The Gunners held last season’s league winner Manchester City to a 2-2 draw at the Etihad in a frantic game of football.

Erling Haaland gave City the early lead, but Riccardo Calafiori's goal brought the Gunners back into the game before Gabriel Magalhães gave Arsenal the lead before the halftime break.

Leandro Trossard was sent off for kicking the ball away in the final moments of the first half after collecting a second yellow card.

The Gunners held on in the second half but conceded an equaliser via a deflection that went to the path of John Stone, who put the ball into the net.

Mikel Arteta has spoken about his team's style of play against Manchester City at the weekend and claimed it had to be that way.

According to Sky Sports, Arteta said, “Well, we had to play the game that we had to play. For the first 15 minutes, we couldn’t. They played 30 seconds with 10 men. Look what they did. It’s normal what they did.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been in the same situation. We were in that same situation with Granit and when we lost 5-0. So we’d better learn. 

“If not I would be very thick. The team has a desire to compete in any context; to win and to adapt. Different competitions and different ways of playing — it is superb.”

The Arsenal manager claimed that his team only adapted to the game state and had to manage the situation better.

The Gunners will now face Bolton in the Carabao Cup as they look to get their hands on the domestic trophy this season.