Mateo Kovacic had a subpar outing for Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal, and there were moments when he could have been sent off during the match.
Manchester City suffered a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League in North London on Sunday, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring the only goal of the game in the 86th minute, a goal that deflected in off Nathan Ake.
Kovacic’s Controversial Display Against Arsenal:
Kovacic started the game for Manchester City and played in a midfield role on the left side. The 29-year-old midfielder, who joined the club from Chelsea in the summer transfer window, was substituted midway through the second half.
Kovacic was fortunate to remain on the field for as long as he did. He received a yellow card for a tackle on Martin Odegaard near the halfway line. His challenge was mistimed, and he made contact with Odegaard’s right ankle.
Additionally, Kovacic was involved in a challenge on Declan Rice. His attempt to intercept Rice’s pass was slow, and his sliding tackle appeared to be reckless, but no card was issued, allowing him to continue playing.
Peter Schmeichel’s Assessment of Mateo Kovacic:
Former Manchester City goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, who was covering the match for BBC Radio 5 Live, expressed his disappointment with Kovacic’s performance, considering his high salary.
Schmeichel remarked on BBC Radio 5 Live, “That’s an extremely late challenge. I’m not sure what he was thinking. Pep would do well to substitute him now, or risk playing with 10 men.”
During his time on the pitch, Kovacic maintained a pass accuracy of 97.3%, made 45 touches, and executed three tackles.
In the current Premier League standings, Manchester City sits in third place with 18 points from eight matches. Pep Guardiola’s team trails Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal by two points, with the North London clubs leading the table in first and second place, respectively.
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