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Mikel Arteta said Bukayo Saka was ‘very sore’ in the wake of Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace and blasted the decision to keep James McArthur on the field after his foul on the youngster.
Saka was chopped down from behind while clearing the ball in the 43rd minute and though the forward initially tried to shake off the injury, Albert Sambi Lokonga came on in his place at the halfway stage at the Emirates.
The Palace midfielder McArthur was shown a yellow card for the foul and the video assistant referee stuck with Mike Dean’s on-field call despite Arteta’s protestations for a harsher punishment.
The young England international watched the remainder of the match from the bench as goals from Christian Benteke and Odsonne Edouard looked set to hand Patrick Vieira’s Palace victory after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s early opener.
But second-half substitute Alexandre Lacazette rescued a point for the Gunners in the fifth minute of stoppage time which had Vieira pounding the ground in frustration.
Asked for an update on Saka’s condition after the final whistle, Arteta told Sky Sports: ‘We had to take him off because he could not continue.
‘He was very sore in the area. When I look at the action I cannot understand how the player can continue to play.’
Pressed on whether McArthur should have been sent off, the Spaniard replied: ‘Absolutely.’
Arteta criticised his players for lacking ‘composure’ and game management after Aubameyang fired them in front in the eighth minute in north London.
‘It was a strange game. We started really well, we were dominant and we scored the goal,’ the Spaniard added.
‘After that we lacked composure to manage the game. We didn’t have a sequence of passes and then the team was stretched.
‘After half-time we…
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Source : metro
