'That's ridiculous': Chris Sutton baffled after what he's just heard about Arsenal's red cards this season
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Arsenal lost to Bournemouth at the weekend, but, once again, perhaps Arsenal's biggest problem was their own poor decision-making.
For the third time this season, the Gunners had a man sent off in a crucial game, and in all three of those matches, the north London club ended up dropping points.
Arsenal's ill-discipline this season has been there for all to see, and it's been difficult to explain why the Gunners keep getting these red cards.
Speaking on the BBC Radio Five Live Football Daily Podcast, Rory Smith has suggested that Arsenal's disciplinary problems may be down to psychological pressure being applied due to the title race with Manchester City.
However, Chris Sutton was quick to shoot down that idea, claiming that Arsenal players wouldn't be thinking about City at all during their matches, particularly not in these moments.
Chris Sutton baffled by Arsenal red card suggestion
Sutton was baffled after Smith suggested that Manchester City have played a part in Arsenal's recent red card problems.
Sutton has played at the top level and has been involved in tight title races before, and he's sure that this will have had no bearing on Arsenal's recent issues.
"I do wonder to what extent being in a title race with Man City, for Arsenal who are now going into their third year of title races with Man City, creates this psychological pressure that you can’t drop points at all, which may be making mistakes like that, slightly panicky moments more likely, because everything feels so intensely pressure," Smith said
"Hang on, did you say Manchester City are in their heads?" Sutton replied.
"That’s ridiculous, Rory. Are you telling me Declan Rice was thinking about Pep Guardiola and Manchester City when he flicked the ball away? No, exactly."
Who's to blame for Arsenal's red cards?
Pressure from Manchester City doesn't appear to be the answer, so why are Arsenal getting so many red cards?
Gary Neville blamed Leandro Trossard for William Saliba's red card on Saturday, while the previous two sendings off were both for kicking the ball away and apparently wasting time.
Declan Rice was sent off for this reason against Brighton, while Leandro Trossard received his marching orders for similar against Manchester City.
This rule is being enforced more than ever before, and it's hard to blame Trossard and Rice for these small indiscretions that previously probably wouldn't have been punished.
Gary Lineker didn't think Rice's red card was fair, and similar was said about Trossard's red card against Manchester City.
Arsenal's recent disciplinary crisis may not be something that is a huge underlying issue. After all, it's not playing losing their heads every single week, it's minor discretions combined with some poor play leading to these red cards.
This isn't an issue that should persist throughout the season.
