Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji didn’t mince words as he criticized referee Anthony Taylor’s performance in the reigning champions’ Premier League goalless draw against Arsenal on Sunday.
The stalemate at the Etihad Stadium saw both Manchester City and Arsenal losing ground in the title race, with Liverpool maintaining their lead.
During the match, tensions ran high as Man City players grew frustrated with what they perceived as leniency towards Arsenal players who avoided punishment for a series of fouls that disrupted the flow of the game.
Akanji, speaking after the match, expressed his bewilderment at some of the decisions made by referee Taylor, suggesting that clear yellow card offenses had been overlooked.
“I don’t understand. One in the first half [from Kai Havertz] was a very late tackle on Stefan. For me, it is clearly a yellow card,” Akanji remarked, reflecting on the incidents during the game.