LEARNED FRIENDS

Past experience taught us how to survive pressure says Arteta

- ALAN SMITH

MIKEL ARTETA is proud his Arsenal players have learnt from their takes miseven though there was a familiar sting in the tale.

The Gunners boss said he "would be very thick" if his team had buckled with a man less against Manchester City because they had been in the same situation twice before and were overwhelmed.

In August 2021 Granit Xhaka was sent off late in the first half and City coasted to a 5-0 win.

Then, in January 2022, Gabriel was dismissed for a second yellow before Rodri scored a 90th minute winner.

So when John Stones delivered a 98th-minute sucker punch that reduced three points to one at the weekend, Arteta instead declared himself "extremely proud" with his team's "superb" performance after Leandro Trossard had been given his marching orders.