Troy Deeney names the Chelsea and Arsenal icons who were real dark arts masters

Today at 02:45 AM

Troy Deeney has defended Arsenal amid accusations they have become masters of the dark arts following last week’s incident packed 2-2 draw against Manchester City.

The Gunners are unrecognisable from the side managed by Arsene Wenger that were infamously described as lacking ‘cojones’ by former Watford captain Deeney.

Down to 10 men in controversial circumstances last week following Leandro Trossard’s red card, the Gunners put on a defensive masterclass which came within seconds of earning an improbable victory.

Rather than concentrate on the finer points of the discipline Arsenal showed to keep City at bay, critics have pointed to the time wasting methods the Gunners employed with Jamie Carragher insisting Mikel Arteta’s men are exploiting one particular loophole.

Deeney, however, insists Arsenal’s class of 2024 are nothing compared to some of the Premier League icons he came up against in his heyday.

He told The Sun: ‘Arsenal are the masters of the ‘dark arts’? Give me a break. I've been around and seen teams act way worse in the Prem. None of this is new.

‘Alan Pardew's Newcastle were great at it. Cesc Fabregas was a horrible b*d. John Obi Mikel used to foul you, help you up and step on your calf as he did it.

‘At Watford we had meetings about Chelsea's Diego Costa who was so nasty we tried to be really nice to him on the pitch to try and get him on side.

‘And I will never forget wiping out Martin Skrtel early doors in 2015 and hearing the noise he made when I hit him. I thought: ‘I've got you'. We ended up beating Liverpool 3-0.

‘It is not ‘dark arts’. It is just trying to wind people up to gain an advantage. All Arsenal did against Manchester City was manage the clock, trying to give their players a break and they did it really well. It was basically a pre-season drill.

‘When you go to Old Trafford, when you go to Anfield, anywhere you go, you would try to dampen the crowd, wouldn’t you?

‘Yes they shut up shop, but don't most teams at the Etihad? Does that make them all dirty and masters of the “dark arts”‘