Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta delighted with win at Crystal Palace despite Takehiro Tomiyasu red card

LONDON – Arsenal’s bench celebrated Monday’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace as if it was the Premier League title decider, despite it being only the second week of the season.

The victory came as a huge relief for the team, who hung on after a second-half red card for Takehiro Tomiyasu.

The Japan defender fell foul of a stricter interpretation of time-wasting rules this season, getting booked for dallying on a throw-in on the hour mark and then being sent off for pulling Jordan Ayew’s shirt seven minutes later.

The Gunners had taken the lead when captain Martin Odegaard netted from the spot in the 54th minute to reward Arsenal’s dominant display.

Gabriel Martinelli’s quick free kick caught Palace dozing and Eddie Nketiah was upended by goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, who was sent the wrong way by Odegaard’s penalty. 

“It shows how much we want it,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said of the celebrations. “When you see the players on the bench... they have to come and help the team.

“They were magnificent and they changed the dynamic of the game... they really contributed to winning the game.”

Arteta said it would take some time for teams to get used to the crackdown on time-wasting that has seen more yellow cards and additional time being added on at the end of each half.

“It’s going to be very difficult for us. I guarantee you, we will have to play with 10 or maybe with nine or with eight, depending where we put the standards and the level.

“We can play eight against eight, it can be very entertaining,” the 41-year-old said wryly.

His Palace counterpart Roy Hodgson, 76, has seen many adjustments in the interpretation of the rules in a managerial career spanning almost 50 years and was sanguine about the changes.

“These rules and these ideas are thrust upon us, we don’t have too much say in the matter, but we have to learn to live with them,” he told Sky Sports.

Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville, however, believes Tomiyasu’s dismissal will have more of an impact on time-wasting than adding on additional stoppage time.

He said on Sky Sports: “I went to see (referees’ chief) Howard Webb a couple of weeks ago and he said the existing laws within the game cater to be able to stop time-wasting and that’s called a yellow card and would lead to a red card.

“I think if players are starting to get sent off, this one (Tomiyasu’s second yellow) is always going to be a yellow card.

“But if you’ve got defenders or other players on the pitch that are wasting time – you’re going to get booked.

“This will have a bigger impact tonight, this sending off, on time-wasting for players than it will be adding 15 minutes on at the end.”

Also making a big impact was new Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, signed for £105 million (S$181 million) including add-ons from West Ham United in the summer.

On his changing roles in the Arsenal team, the Englishman said: “Against Nottingham Forest, we played a diamond in midfield and I was on the left of the diamond and tonight I was the single pivot, so I dropped back one spot.”

“In the last four weeks, I have learnt so much, I am learning different ways of playing the position, constantly on the move, learning how we build up, learning how we play as a team.”

Arteta said the 24-year-old “bossed the midfield and dominated the game” and former England and Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher was similarly impressed.

Carragher said on Sky Sports: “Rice was the best player on the pitch... I actually like him in the role he played tonight, more than popping up between the lines.

“His initial position was to start in that deeper position and drive forward from it. I think that is where he is at his best.”

Neville added: “He will be an impact signing. Personality, character...

“l am thinking that with 10 matches to go and they hit that moment, if they hit that moment, again, he will be a big difference to Arsenal because l don’t think he will be fazed by it.” REUTERS, AFP