Arsenal’s performance against Man City received high praise from Jamie Carragher…

Jamie Carragher provided an insightful commentary on Arsenal’s performance against Manchester City.

Jamie Carragher recognized the excellence of Arsenal’s performance versus Man City.

In his analysis, Jamie Carragher praised Arsenal’s strategy against Manchester City.

The Gunners narrowly missed out on a significant victory against the Premier League champions, conceding a last-minute equalizer from John Stones that allowed City to reclaim the top spot in the league at Liverpool’s expense.

Mikel Arteta’s team initially responded well to an early goal from Erling Haaland, with defensive players Riccardo Califiori and Gabriel finding the net.

However, the situation took a turn when Leandro Trossard received a second yellow card for kicking the ball away, leaving Arsenal with ten men before halftime.

Despite facing intense pressure from City, Arsenal, who substituted Bukayo Saka for defender Ben White at the start of the second half, held firm defensively and seemed poised to secure all three points.

The Gunners’ defensive resilience was highlighted in the final moments by goalkeeper David Raya, who skillfully caught a set-piece but chose to drop to the ground to waste time, even with no opponents nearby.

In light of this, Carragher aptly remarked on Raya’s actions during his co-commentary for Sky Sports, stating, “Jose Mourinho is likely watching this match from Turkey with a knowing smile.”

The former manager of Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur, who is now at the helm of Turkish Super Lig powerhouse Fenerbahce, gained a reputation for his defensive, time-consuming approach to football, particularly when his teams were trying to protect narrow leads.

Indeed, the Portuguese coach is widely recognized as a master of time management in football, instructing his players on how to effectively delay the game and minimize the opposition’s possession during the critical closing moments.

This strategy was evident during Arsenal’s match against Manchester City on Sunday, as goalkeeper Raya skillfully executed this tactic by dramatically falling to the ground when there were no opponents nearby to contest the ball.

Ultimately, Arsenal’s strategy backfired when Stones scored a crucial equalizer for City in the dying seconds of the match.

Instead of clearing the ball downfield or allowing his teammates to advance it, Raya chose to retain possession in his own half, which allowed City to apply additional pressure, culminating in the goal.