Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola refused to comment on a post-match brawl involving Kyle Walker, Erling Haaland, and an Arsenal coaching staff member.
Arsenal defeated the reigning champions for the second time in a row, as well as scoring their first league victory in the matchup since 2015, after a run of 15 games without a win.
Mateo Kovacic, a City midfielder, just avoided a red card after late tackles on Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice. City had the better chances overall, but tempers flared when Arsenal’s returning Gabriel Martinelli won it in the 86th minute.
Walker confronted Arsenal set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, who, like Arteta, was previously on Guardiola’s City staff, as both sets of players were headed into the tunnel at full-time. The City captain was joined by Haaland before players from both teams interfered and separated them, with Jover being hauled away by Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, who had missed the game due to injury.
“I know what happened, but I’m not going to say anything.” “[Arsenal] know it [as well],” Guardiola stated afterwards, not revealing anything but attempting to lay the finger of blame at the Gunners.
The win brought Arsenal level on points with Tottenham at the top of the Premier League standings, with the latter maintaining a slim lead due to scoring two goals more. City are two points behind in third place, and this is the first time Guardiola’s squad has suffered back-to-back league defeats since December 2018, when they were upset by Crystal Palace and Leicester only a few days before Christmas.
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